My Entries For The QLFC
by lexi.atel
Summary: A collection of my entries for the The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition(season three)! Oneshots galore!
1. The Flame, It Flickers For You

**A/N: **_**The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition is a writing competition which consists of writing for particular prompts each round and scoring points.**_

**Round 1;  
**

**Team: **_The BallyCastle Bats _

**Position: **_Beater 2 _

**Main Prompt -Write about your SEEKER's favourite pairing/character: **_(Hermione/Slytherin Character)_

**-Additional Prompts **

_3\. (word) change_

_7\. (spell) Expelliarmus_

_14.(quote) "People have an annoying habit of remembering things they shouldn't." - Christopher Paolini, Eragon_

**Story Title:** _The Flame, It Flickers For You_

**Summary: **_Through a potion she had invented, Hermione is able to save Snape in the Shrieking Shack. While he recovers from the damage that the poison's done to him, she becomes his personal Healer. Both develop feelings for each other. _**Angst, AU**

* * *

Voldemort's warning lingered in Hermione's mind. She stood in the Shrieking Shack between her best friends, shivering from fear, as the cold, icy threat of his voice penetrated throughout every bit of her head. She shuddered. The boys looked as fearful as she felt.

"Don't listen to him," Ron told Harry quietly.

Hermione wiped her eyes, clearing them from the tears that had filled them. Voldemort had killed Professor Snape, the man he had thought to be his follower. If he could kill a man who worshiped him, the monster truly had no mercy; much as he had just claimed in the speech he broadcasted a moment ago.

She purposely avoided the eyes of the professor she had known for the last few years. Swallowing hard, Hermione said, "W-We need a new p-plan, let's go back to the cas-."

Her eyes uncontrollably sank down to the grown man sitting lifelessly at her feet. She placed a hand to her mouth, stifling a cry. His face was frozen, eyes open and glazed over, not all too much different than he often would look on a normal day. Only... There was no life in those eyes anymore. They did not flicker. They did not glow. They did not glitter. They were glassy; stuck in space.

"Hermione...?" Ron whispered, setting a hand onto her shoulder.

And then she saw something. From the corner of her eye. Hermione's hand fell from her mouth. Her eyes widened. It couldn't be, could it?

_It was just nerves._ She told herself. _The man is dead._

_But what if..._

Hermione knelt down, wrapping her hand around his (as best as she could, as his was much bigger), and, instead of seeing it, she felt it. It was hardly noticeable, but it was just enough to give the young woman a leap of faith.

"Prof-Professor...?" Her voice was hoarse, but her thumping heart sped up faster when she felt his fingers twitch for the third time since her noticing.

Hermione hastily removed her wand from her robes. Harry and Ron were demanding explanations but she was not paying them any attention. "_Reprehendo_." A red bolt shot out of the tip of her wand, surrounding Professor Snape in a hued bubble. It pulsed around him. Very softly. Very faint.

"He's... alive." She whispered astonished.

"What?!" Harry joined her side by kneeling down next to her. "Snape?" His blood covered hand touched the man's chest. "I don't feel anything, Hermione." He said flatly; disappointed.

"The last thing for a wizard to lose is his magic." She said in her normal, lecturing voice. She removed a potion from her bag and began to eagerly search the darkest corners of the shack. "Hurry! Help me find a spider's web!"

Ron shuddered a protest, but when she sent him a scowl, he and Harry both started the search.

"Would a spider's egg also work for your potion?" Harry asked.

"Yes!" Hermione gasped out in relief and hurried to Harry who was plucking a fuzzy, round ball of spider silk from underneath the bottom of a chair.

Hermione popped the stopper off the potion she had been gripping and took the spider's egg from Harry, dropping it into the liquid. She quickly returned the stopper before it could foam and overflow; she'd need every drop. Giving it a few shakes, she walked back over to Professor Snape, the hue still present, but it had faded some.

"This will slow the attack on his body down until I get the cure to the snake's venom." She informed as she pried Professor Snape's clenched mouth open with a spell. His mouth was full of his own blood and something white that she guessed was poison. It gushed out as the gap was made, but Hermione made an effort to ignore the gruesome sight.

_And smell._

She held her breath to keep from gagging and poured the entire potion down his throat, then forced him to swallow it with another spell. She stood up, motioning the quiet, watchful boys to step back to allow the potion to work its magic.

Professor Snape's robes began disappearing, replaced with long, black, stringy hairs. Each of his limbs multiplied by two, creating eight of them. His eyes also increased in number. Ron began backing away further when he realized what was happening. A tiny squeak erupted from his trembling mouth. And then, all of the human of Professor Snape vanished and the large spider, which had replaced him, began to shrink until it was hardly the size of a snitch.

Hermione conjured a cup sized canning jar to put him in. With a deep breath, she carefully put the jar into her bag. "Let's go to the castle. We can think of a plan to defeat You Know Who along the way."

"How long can he last for like that?" Harry asked.

"Much longer than his previous form." Was all Hermione said, hurrying away, knowing she had very little time to administer the cure.

_*** / *  
**_

"Any change?"

A familiar voice stirred Severus awake. He felt as stiff as a board. Weaker than he had ever been before. All energy was gone. He tried opening his eyes, but found that he was not able to. He tried not to panic. Panicking was never an answer. He opened his jaw to say something, talking, but when it moved, the vibration brought a severe pain to his neck. He clamped his teeth together, suppressing the urge to cry out.

_Where was he anyway? _

He could not remember much- The last of what he had remembered was a large white room. And Albus.

_Albus..._

_What had Albus said to him?_

For the life of him, he could not remember.

"No." A young woman replied, also familiar, but he just couldn't place it. The very thought of knowing the spoken voices, but unable to set a face to them annoyed him.

He found he could lift a hand, only just barely. It instantly felt fatigued, as if he had just held a twenty pound dumbbell for five minutes straight. Ignoring his sore arm's reaction to his movement, he touched the pain of his neck. His fingers gently pressed up against a cloth; a bandage, he guessed. That slightest touch accelerated the pain and it took all he could to not scream out.

Tears rolled from his eyes and he realized then that they were pooling against something that was soaking up the moisture that they were causing. Severus used his other hand to touch his face this time. It seemed he had been blindfolded, and that was why he couldn't open his eyes. With both hands, Severus went to remove the blindfold, anxious to see what predicament he was in. He fumbled with it until his hands finally dropped at the sides of his head in pure exhaustion; his effort failed. He had never felt so tired before. What had happened to him? Why couldn't he remove a simple blindfold?

Breathing deep, catching the breath that he had been holding while he had attempted his task, he drifted back into unconsciousness.

Tender hands touched him. A touch that Severus could honestly admit that he enjoyed. Perhaps it was just because he had felt so cold for several years, and those delicate, swift, moving fingers brought a warmth to him. His heart hammered against his chest, spreading the warmth he was feeling to all ends of his body. He didn't care who they belonged to, only that he hoped they'd never disappear. He could picture these angelic hands working professionally in a potions lab, if the person that they belonged to wasn't a complete dunderhead.

Who ever was touching him was some sort of Healer. And female, after hearing the slight murmur of the incantations of her spells. _Beautifully performed, _He mused, feeling all his physical pain fade away to her uttering words. He adored that voice. Her fingers and voice were his only reason to wake up everyday.

"Ah, I see that smile." The young woman said gently, almost praising him. Severus felt the tap of her hand against his forearm. He was still unable to see, due to the blindfold. "I like your smile, sir. You should do it more often."

Severus still didn't know who the woman was, but anymore, he did not seem to care as long as she would always be there for him; something she promised to him every day.

_*** / ***_

"Oh, God!" The obnoxious young man had pulled Severus from his sleep, something the man did quite often. "Um..." he fumbled dumbly, sounding a bit embarrassed.

"You've must have seen a naked man before!?" The Healer woman scolded him impatiently, bathing the naked Severus down with a sponge.

"Yes... well..." the man cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I don't think I'll ever be able get that sight out of my mind." He said with a shuddering voice. "I doubt even obliviation will get rid of it!"

The Healer huffed. "People have an annoying habit of remembering things they shouldn't! Try not to think too much about it."

"I've just never imagined Snape to be so..." the man trailed off.

Severus couldn't help smirking to himself, knowing that the man was speaking about his most private body part. The one thing he truly had admired about himself.

"Merlin!" The Healer screeched.. Severus hinted a bit of an embarrassment to her voice. "It's _just _a penis!" She huffed. "Please help me dress him?" She requested pleadingly. "I have a date with Blaise tonight."

Severus' smugness deflated like a balloon at the sound of the woman's words. The fire that kept his wick lit had an interest in another man. Suddenly, it felt like he couldn't breathe. Feeling very much like his was being held under a body of water.

With fury, Severus ripped at his blindfold. This time, he had enough strength to take it off. The two people that were in the room with him, both gasped out in surprise. With difficulty, Severus sat up on the bed, looking around, having vision for the first time in Merlin only knew how long (which was kind of blotchy, although he could make out somethings). He was in a dimly lit room that looked much like a dull hospital room.

He saw her then. The woman; his Healer. She had snarly, wild brown hair. Young as he had thought her to be; mid twenties. And the man next to her-

Severus knew that man... Glasses and messy dark hair. "_Potter_." Severus sneered in loathness. "Couldn't get enough of a look at my body the first time?"

"Sir," the Healer walked up to him, and he swiftly snatched the wand from her hand, making her shriek.

Severus pointed his wand at the man. "Dare you, Potter," He challenged.

"Snape-,"

"No, no." Severus said coolly. "Use your wand to duel, not your words. I am not some young piece of tail you can smooth talk into surrendering."

"Please..." the woman set an arm on Severus' forearm. "You're a bit confused, Professor."

That word alone brought a sudden rush of memories into his head, each one playing back, as if his head was dunked into a Pensieve.

_"Expelliarmus!"_ Potter disarmed him as his attention faltered from the moment.

"No," Severus whispered, sinking down to his knees in horror. He remembered everything then. He knew who the voices belonged to, and, now, all he wanted was to go back to his fantasy of the unknown Healer being his forever, and _only _his. He had no chance with Granger; The brightest witch of the decade. She would never choose him. _Never_. Especially after the way he had treated her during her adolescent years.

_Oh, when would he ever stop living in regret?_

_*** / ***_

"Calm down, Professor." Hermione said soothingly. "It's okay." She helped the traumatized man back into bed.

"No!" He smacked away the blindfold she hovered above his head.

"Alright," she had used it because his eyes had been very sensitive to light, but he didn't seem bothered by it for the time being.

"Hermione, I can take over so you can go on your date." Harry offered slowly, eyeing Professor Snape carefully, who was scowling.

"No, that's okay, Harry." Hermione blanketed the man, who was still naked, with a sheet. "Professor Snape responds better with me. I'll just cancel. Blaise will understand."

Harry snorted in doubt, leaning up against the doorjamb.

Professor Snape suddenly looked green. "What happened?!" He demanded in a terrified whispered. "The Dark Lord-"

"Dead." Harry informed bluntly. "You're free of any master now."

"But how did you survive the battle? The prophecy said you both were to..."

"Trelawney was never the perfect seer." Harry answered when the man didn't finish.

The professor lay there in silence, looking Harry in the eye. His chest heaved up and down, deep in thought, taking in the news. "Good." He said simply, closing his eyes, almost peacefully.

"Good." Harry agreed in the same tone. "Albus!" He hollered out into the hall. Severus' eyes shot back open. "Come in here a moment, son!"

_So... Harry was a father now... How long have I've been sick for? _Severus thought.

The pattering of small feet approached the room they were in and Harry lifted a small tot into his arms. The boy could be Harry's twin. Green eyes, glasses, and everything. "Professor Snape," Harry started, smiling at the boy. "This is Albus Severus Potter, my second son."

_The Potter boy had named his boy after him. _Severus was in utter awe.

"The entire World would like to thank you." Harry summoned up a plaque, (surprisingly wandlessly done), and set it on to the table next to Severus.

Severus gaped at it.

_**Order of Merlin; First Class.**_

_*** / ***_

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked the next day when Severus grumpily shoved the tray of food that she had prepared away.

"I'm just not hungry." He replied, rather babyish in Hermione's opinion.

"I saw the way you were looking at Draco when he kissed my cheek." she said gently.

"I took you as a girl who could only have one man." He grumbled.

This amused her, knowing Slytherins all too well at this point in her life. Hermione was actually excited that he was upset seeing her with another man. She didn't let it show though. She didn't want to seem all too eager or anything.

"I haven't found the right man." She told him with a shrug.

"_Man_?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow. "In order to find the right _man_, you have to date one."

"The guys that I'm dating _are _men." She said in their defense, poking a piece of fruit into her mouth.

"That's _mine_!" He snarled, pulling his tray of food from her.

"I thought you didn't want it?"

"Well, I've changed my mind!" He huffed, but he made no notion to actually eat anything.

"Professor-"

Professor Snape sighed in annoyance. "Could you not call me that?! I am not a professor anymore, nor do I intend to ever be one again!"

"Alright... Mr... Snape..." she said slowly, wrinkling her nose, not favouring the name.

"Just... call me Severus." He told her, avoiding her eyes, and taking a bite of the pot pie she had made him.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "I heard you only allow your friends to call you that..."

Severus' paused his chewing, as if he had come under the realization that he had let something slip. Like a true Slytherin, though, he quickly regained himself. "Actually, I was just about to inquire if you would be interested in dating a _real _man." His eyes flickered to his award. "Perhaps... a _hero _even?"

"Are you asking me out, Severus?" Hermione couldn't help but to smile. Since she had offered to nurse the man back to health years ago, she had developed feelings for Severus. Most of it was just wishing him well, after hearing about how brave he had been in both wars. The feelings strengthened though, when she had seen him smile last year (a real smile; one that she had never seen the man do). With that mere sight alone, she had instantly fallen in love with him (or rather his adoring smile).

"I am." Severus answered, his eyes passionately boring into hers.

"Alright then, let's have a date right now." She suggested, conjuring up a meal duplicate to his own and charming a chair to float to her before sitting into it. He looked nearly repulsed, but she held up a hand. "When you're stronger, we'll go someplace nicer."

Severus nodded understandably. "Thank you..." he paused long enough to give her his smile. "Thank you, _Hermione_."

And if it were possible to love him more, that was it! The way her name rolled off his tongue made her knees buckle.

_Thankfully_, she was sitting down.

_*** / ***_

As he looked into her brown eyes, Severus then remembered the last thing that Albus had said to him. The old wizard sat at a bench that was as white as the four walls around them. The usual twinkle lingering in his eyes. "You have a chance for happiness, Severus. Don't waste it. For you, of all people, could use it for once in your lifetime." Albus tilted his head, showing his respect. "Have a good life, my boy."


	2. The Young and Brave

**Round 2;**

**Team:**_ The BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:**_ Beater 2_

**Main Prompt** \- _Write about an inter-house friendship_

**-Additional Prompts**

_6\. (emotion) shock_

_7\. (song) 'You Got A Friend In Me' by Randy Newman_

**Story Title:**_ The Young and Brave_

**Summary:**_ What would Hogwarts do without the daring Gryffindors? In his fourth year, young Nigel Wolpert changes the lives around him, particularly a certain Slytherin's._ **Angst, Drama**

**Warnings:** _Mentions of physical abuse. Character Death._

**A/N:** _Nigel was the kid that replaced the Creeveys in the movies. I've conveniently 'stolen' him for this fanfic._

* * *

"Don't," Nigel Wolpert stopped Benny Thundercorn from casting a curse onto a cowering first year Slytherin boy. He, Benny, and his two other roommates (Paul Alderman and Derrick Johhnson) were surrounding the very tiny boy who was in their DADA class, serving Detention.

Nigel had no idea what the young Slytherin had done but he couldn't allow his house mates to attack an unarmed boy. One that was far much smaller in size, and younger by three years.

"Why not?!" Benny hissed. "He deserves it!"

"He's done nothing to us."

"He's a Slytherin," Derrick Johnson said. "They all deserve it."

"What do you suppose he's done to earn a _detention_?" Nigel whispered. His eyes found Professor Carrow praising a Slytherin for a successful stinging hex placed onto a Hufflepuff girl in their own year. Nigel kept his watch onto him. It wouldn't be long before the professor would approach his own group. "Why would you guess that Professor Carrow would permit attacking a defenseless Slytherin?"

Derrick lowered his wand in contemplation. "It doesn't really make much sense, I guess," he admitted.

"He must have done something really awful- in Carrow's eyes," Nigel said thoughtfully.

"Well, if we don't do something, _we'll_ be the ones punished!" Benny flicked his wand, but Nigel snatched it out of his hand to stop him.

"He's just a _kid_!" Nigel noticed that the professor was creeping closer to them as he made his rounds. He had to figure out something quick before Professor Carrow found out that they hadn't done anything yet. Something clicked in then, perhaps it was because of all the time he had spent with the older and wiser students at Hogwarts, or maybe it was the Ravenclaw blood of both his parents. Nigel wasn't sure which, but he had a plan.

It wasn't just the Carrows that were teaching their students different curriculum than the norm. Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick had also made some changes. Changes in which the older students (specifically the D.A members) had been speculating that it was for certain reasons.

Like fooling the Death Eaters. Particularly the ones currently teaching at Hogwarts.

*/ *

Pansy tapped Millicent's shoulder and slid a piece of folded paper onto her desk. Millicent seen her first and last name written down onto it with a sloppy scrawl. She took the note and quietly unfolded it. She was in Potions, and Slughorn wouldn't mind her reading a note as long as she didn't disrupt the other students.

_'Travis is on his way to the Infirmary. He just got out of Detention and he looks real bad. According to Donnery and Mables (from Fourth Year), the Gryffindors did it. I'm on my way to find them.'_

The note was not signed, but she knew that it was from Gregory Goyle, as he had the most god awful handwriting than even Travis did when he was beginning to learn to write.

Millicent closed her eyes, trying to settle down her sudden anxiety. After taking a deep breath, she raised her hand to alert Slughorn.

"Yes, Miss. Bulstrode?"

"I need to be excused," she said firmly.

"The reason?"

She clenched her jaw. "My little brother is in the Infirmary. From serving detention in DADA."

Pansy squeaked next to her, and some of the other students surrounding her gasped in disbelief.

"What'd he do?" Susan Bones asked.

"Isn't he only in his First Year?" asked a boy from Ravenclaw.

"Quiet down now." Professor Slughorn rose his voice above them. "Miss Bulstrode, I would love to release you, but I can not allow you to go now and risk you getting your own detention." He worried glanced at the clock. "Class will be finished in ten minutes."

"But he's my brother! I _need_ to see him!"

Slughorn busied himself with the potion in front of him. "It is out of my hands, Miss Bulstrode, you know that."

Millicent scowled and put her head into hands. He was right, she _did_ know that, but little fragile Travis, who really was not strong enough to handle such abuse, was hurt!

She remembered begging Mother to send him off to a different school, but it was orders of the Dark Lord that they each had to attend Hogwarts.

Millicent couldn't concentrate on the lesson now. She gnawed at her lip in complete distress over Travis. It seemed like hours before Professor Slughorn finally excused her so she could meet up with Travis.

She heard screaming when she entered the Infirmary, not entirely something abnormal this year at Hogwarts.

"Travis!" Millicent cried when she saw his bloody face. "Oh, God!" She took her little brother into her arms. "What happened to him?!"

"The Gryffindors!" Donnery shrieked. She was standing on the other side of the bed, holding his hand. "They popped his eyes!"

Millicent grit her teeth, vowing revenge._ She'd hex the whole house!_ That'd have to wait though. Right now, Travis needed her.

She spoke softly to Travis, who was as small as a seven year old, having been born three months too early. Her stomach wrenched as his high pitched screaming pierced her ears. "It'll be alright," she told him. Truthfully, she doubted it.

_Carrow had gone too far this time._

*/ *

"He's fine," Madam Pomfrey announced later when she was able to attend to him. "It looked much worse than what it really was. He won't be able to talk for a couple days, but there's no damage done to his eyes."

"So, was it an eye popping curse?" Millicent asked the mediwitch.

Madam Pomfrey pressed her lips together. "It was a decent attempt." She then turned to another boy whose arm looked broken in several places.

"How are you?" Millicent asked her brother.

Travis smiled up at her, giving her a thumbs up; always the glass half full kind of person. He pointed to the cup of water on the nightstand next to him and she got it for him, watching him wince in pain as he swallowed a mouthful.

Millicent conjured up a piece of parchment and a quill. "Tell me exactly who did it and I'll take care of them."

She watched her brother write. He did it very slow, having become a perfectionist in his short eleven years. When he was finished, his brown eyes looked at her seriously, and he give her the note to read.

_'Don't hurt them, Milly, please. The Gryffindors were only protecting me. It was all pretend, they didn't really hurt me. Nigel Wolpert is a nice kid, and he's very smart. I wish I was as smart and as brave as him. I could never do what he did.'_

"Is this true?!" Millicent asked in disbelief. "He helped you?"

Her brother nodded and began writing again, _'__Nigel instructed the others to make it look like they had popped my eyes. It was just water turned to blood and a swelling spell- nothing more.'_ Travis then closed his eyes.

"Are you tired?"

He nodded again.

"Okay, I'm going to talk to this Nigel kid."

Travis' eyes shot open and rose up from his laying position to snatch her arm. Shaking his head violently, he tried speaking, but he couldn't.

"Relax," she whispered, pushing him back to lay down and rest. "I just want to thank him."

The boy sighed in relief and closed his eyes back up. Millicent kissed his forehead,and he smiled in comfort, not at all embarrassed by her mothering nature over him. "Send me a note if you need me." She then left to find the Gryffindor that saved her brother.

*/ *

As Nigel exited the Great Hall, his robes were gripped at the shoulder. He began to panic and fight when he realized who it was. "Let me go!" Nigel went to grab his wand but Goyle's large hand snatched it from him. Goyle sneered a god awful look. Crabbe was beside him, cracking his knuckles.

"So, you think it's funny to curse our first years, huh?" Goyle raised his fist to deliver a blow to Nigel's face. Nigel raised his arms to shield the attack.

"Stop!" A female voice stopped Goyle from going any further. All boys turned their heads to see Millicent Bulstrode hurrying up to them.

"This is _him_!" Goyle snarled. He tugged a bit at Nigel's robes, showing him to her.

"It was _my_ brother, _I'll_ take care of him." Bulstrode took Nigel's wand from Goyle, who was giving her a dumbfounded look.

"You heard what I said, Gregory," she said warningly. "Let him go."

With a grunt, he shoved Nigel toward Bulstrode who cupped his upper arm to keep him from running off. "Go and ruin my fun then, Milly," Goyle grumbled.

"Thank you." She flashed Goyle a smile before hauling a stumbling Nigel down to the Dungeons, and shoved him into an unused room, shutting herself in with him.

Bulstrode circled the room, casting many spells, all wordlessly, but swishing and flicking her wand quickly and delicately. Finally, she laid her eyes onto him, and Nigel feared that perhaps these would be his last moments of his life. He wouldn't show her that he was scared though. With a pounding pulse, he stood up straighter, clenching his fists at his sides.

"What do you want?" he sneered.

"Did you risk getting in trouble to prevent my brother from harm?"

"Well..." Nigel cleared his throat and placed a few steps between them. "He was... so..." _Small_, he wanted to say. Never in his life would he had guessed that the small Slytherin was Bulstrode's little brother. _Never._ "Unarmed," Nigel finally said. "It wasn't quite fair."

Bulstrode was in a manner of shock, likely not thinking that a Gryffindor would ever help her brother. Her huge mouth lay open in a gap. "Well..." she was at a loss of words.

"It's no problem, really," Nigel added uncomfortably. The look she was giving him made him a bit edgy.

"Thank you, kid." Bulstrode looked like she meant it too. "I guess not all Gryffindors are toads." Her lips upturned into what could be a smile.

Nigel nodded, not sure what to say to that, unwilling to snap some retort about Slytherins being the same way.

"Weren't you a member of Dumbledore's Army?"

"Yes."

She gave a sly grin. "Is that still in operation?"

"If it was, I wouldn't tell you., Nigel said bluntly.

Bulstrode nodded. "Some of us- the Slytherins-are not liking how the Carrows are running things."

"You mean because they aren't allowing you to break many rules?" Nigel asked boldly.

"We'd thought that since Snape was made headmaster that we'd have special privileges, but evidently, that's not the case. The Carrows don't seem to care who they get to punish, so long as they get to cause harm."

"And that's not settling well among your house," Nigel summarized.

"No, it isn't."

"How do you expect me to trust you?" Nigel asked warily. "You were against the D.A. last year. You turned us in; got us into a whole lot of trouble."

Bulstrode tilted her head in thought. "Times have changed,Nigel. You saved my little brother and I can't ignore that. There isn't anything that I won't do for you. I know that I can trust you. Boy, you've got a friend in me." She held out her hand to shake in a truce.

Nigel eyed it, unable to believe that a Slytherin was giving him the time of day. He cautiously took it. _Maybe having a Slytherin on their side wouldn't be a bad idea._ Maybe she could recruit some members from her house. The less dark Slytherins, the better. "Okay, we can be friends, and I'll look after your little brother as much as I can." he promised.

* / *

"They aren't too willing to accept a Slytherin into the group," Nigel announced to Millicent a month later. "Especially the older ones, such as yourself. Too much has happened in the past."

Millicent nodded understandably. "I can't say I blame them."

"The Hufflepuffs are trying to talk some sense into them. They think unity is a good thing and I agree with them. Even a couple of Ravenclaws are jumping on the bandwagon. They've been noticing some changes in the relationship between Gryffindors and Slytherins. Good ones. Like you, Travis, and I. "

"Plenty of Slytherins want to stand up for what is right, Nigel, they just don't have the... _passion_ like your House of Gryffindors do. They are letting fear control them. They don't want to be on the losing side, specifically if it's Harry Potter's."

"Why do you doubt Harry's ability?"

"The Dark Lord is an experienced wizard and is very powerful."

"But look what Harry did when he was a baby! And what he kept on doing every year. He fought multiple Death Eaters at once! Remember in my first year, when Diggory died?"

Millicent bit her lip. The boy had a point. "Then why is Harry hiding right now?"

Nigel shrugged. "Harry is no ninny. I bet he's not really hiding. I bet he's..." Nigel's eyes lit up, glowing adoringly at the thought of Harry Potter. "Why, I bet he's waiting for the right time. Strategically planning his move, just like in chess."

Millicent smiled. "I sure hope you're right, Nigel." She took out her wand and motioned him up to the front of the unused classroom they were in. "Let me show you a few spells that you can show your friends for your next practice. This is Zabini's favourite. Crabbe likes it too, but he's too thick to control it much. Get your water spell ready-" Nigel eagerly waited for her to continue, always excited to learn new spells.

"_T__urris Ignis!_"

Nigel's eyes widened as a flame shot out of Millicent's wand several feet ahead of them, flaring up to the ceiling. "It creates a grand distraction- at the very least," She slightly laughed before they hosed out the flames together.

"Now it's your turn."

* / *

"Where's Travis?!" Millicent asked Nigel. "Do you see him?" They searched the lot of younger students in the Slytherin Common Room, but neither of them saw the tiny boy.

Nigel swallowed hard, fearing the worst. "I'll go look for him!"

Before Millicent could stop him, Donnery came rushing up. "Travis is not here, Bulstrode! He must have somehow snuck out of line when McGonagall sent us down to the dungeons to prevent any of us from snitching out Potter."

Millicent ran out of the Common Room then. The spell that had kept them locked up had been lifted a short bit ago so they could escape. Nigel had just given her the news and informed them on the current war happening right there in the school.

She searched for a while, dodging stray spells along the way. No one seemed to want to attack her, as she wasn't up for fighting. Millicent only wanted one thing; to find her little brother and get him to safety.

There he was, standing in the middle of a wrecked Great Hall. A table came flying by where he stood. "Travis!" Millicent screamed, weaving through the fighting people, running up to where he had fallen, and helping her brother up to his feet. Travis was holding his arm, sobbing in pain.

"Are you okay?!" She went to take his arm but he only whimpered and stepped back, losing his balance, and tumbling down over something.

Millicent looked down to see what he had tripped over, noticing it was a body. Blue eyes stared back up at her. "Oh my-" Millicent bent down, feeling for a pulse. Tears flowed out of her eyes, and she took the lifeless boy's head into her arms. "Nigel..." she whispered. It was as if someone had suddenly stunned her. She couldn't believe it... Little Nigel was dead...

"He saved me, Milly," The boy whispered hollowly. "He pushed me out of the way before the table could pound me."

Millicent did not know how long she had wept for before Professor McGonagall came by to take Nigel away.

"Wait!" Millicent pleaded, hugging the boy's head tightly, thinking how easily this could have been Travis. "Our friendship will never die, Nigel. No one will love you as much as I do. Thank you, dear friend, for your bravery. I'm going to miss you the most."

*/ *

"Are you okay?" Gregory asked, taking her hand and squeezing it.

Millicent adjusted their one year old son at her hip and nodded looking down at Nigel's grave. "He was well beyond his years. He was the first to show me that Gryffindors and Slytherins could get along."

"I'd have never thought it before then," Gregory said, taking the small boy from her to leave her to her thoughts. "Little Nigel and I will be waiting by the portkey," her husband told her.

Millicent nodded in response and conjured up the flowers she had grown for Nigel. "Alliums," she explained to the grave. "For the unity you have created. Life is going to be different for the new generation, all thanks to you daring Gryffindors." She sighed. So many had been lost. So many brave, young people. "Until next year, Nigel," she whispered, setting the flowers onto the ledge of his tombstone as she did every year that marked the anniversary of his death.


	3. What You're Missing

**Round 3;**

**Team:**_ The BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:**_ Beater 2_

**Main Prompt** \- _Write your OTP  
_

_**Pairing:** Lily/Severus_

**-Additional Prompts**

1\. (dialogue) "What have I done this time?"  
10\. (picture)*crumpled up piece of paper*

**Story Title: **_What You're Missing  
_

**Summary:** With her new case, Lily just doesn't have time for her family anymore. **AU**

**Warnings:** _Mentions of slash(gay couples)  
_

**A/N:** _Ju_s_t to be clear, Voldemort didn't gain any power in the first war. He's not even mentioned in this story._

* * *

Severus emerged from the bathroom, walking down the hall. He stopped only after just a few steps, noticing something out of place. His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

"Daisy!"

His daughter cautiously poked her head out of her bedroom. Her black eyes were glistening with wetness. "Yes, Papa?" She asked quietly.

Pushing aside why he had called onto her, he softened his face. "What's wrong, dear?"

There was a tiny sniff from the eight year old, and she tucked her long, flowing hair behind her. Daisy's eyes shifted to the crumpled piece of paper that she had tossed into the hallway during a spout of anger.

"Mummy doesn't have time to teach me to bake a cake for Madeline's party." There was another sniff, and the girl was too embarrassed to meet his eyes. "She's too busy," her voice went into a whisper.

Severus sighed. Ever since Lily had gotten that new bloody case six months ago, he'd rarely seen her. In the past, she had devoted a lot of time to her family, as the duties of the Auror had been dull for many years. Recently though, with the threat of a new ruler arising in Ireland, she had been assigned to help nip that in the bud before things got out of hand. They were lucky if she came home everyday, but usually, they would only see Lily three times a week. Time she spent mostly just to rest up, sleeping the day away.

"I'll teach you," he offered reluctantly, hoping his daughter wouldn't sense the distaste he felt having to resort to Muggle cooking.

Daisy shook her head. "Mummy promised," she mumbled. "I don't want to do it no more." She disappeared into her room, closing the door behind her.

Severus admitted that he was relieved with her declination, but his heart ached to see his baby girl hurting. He hated it when Daisy was upset. She was a good child, and, right now, all she wanted was her Mummy's attention.

That's what Severus wanted too. He missed holding Lily, kissing her. Missed hearing her laugh (something that was rare to hear lately). He wished they could toss potion ideas off each other again, like they used to do.

Merlin, he really needed Lily back. _Their _family needed her back.

*_ / _*

"I can't make it," Lily said to Severus two days later. "I'd loved to-" she sighed sadly. "-I just can't. James and I-"

"James?!" Severus demanded. "You certainly don't mean _Potter_?! Your _Ex_\- Boyfriend? Not _that _James?!"

"Calm down!" Lily hissed, raising her arms. "You'll wake Daisy."

Severus clamped his mouth shut tightly. If it wasn't for Daisy, he would be spitting out words right at the top of his lungs!

"It's nothing to get upset about, Sev," she said softly. "We're just partners."

"You have a son together!" Severus snarled under his breath. "Forgive me if I am just a bit upset at the moment! My wife is spending little time with her family, and instead, she's off fluttering around, having the time of her life with an old Hogwarts flame!"

"That's not true, Severus!" Lily shrieked, forgetting her warning of waking up Daisy. "What James and I did in school was no different than what you and Sirius' sister did-"

"Only I wasn't stupid enough to knock her up!"

Lily pursed her lips. "Good night, Severus," she said coldly, turning her back onto him, and turning out their bedroom lamp with a spell.

"It's okay, Lily. I'll go to Harry's game," he told her viciously. "Remus and I can play surrogate Mum and Dad while his real parents are out 'saving the world'."

Lily swung her arm, smacking him in the chest. "You are a spiteful toerag!" She hauled herself out of bed, taking her pillow and the cover blanket that they had been using.

"What will _I_ cover up with?" He asked in disbelief.

Lily paused at the doorway only to growl at him before she stalked out of their bedroom to sleep on the sofa in the living room.

The next morning, Severus grit his teeth in frustration. He crumpled up the letter that he had been trying to write to Harry. Lily had already left without so much as a goodbye to Severus, and he knew she'd have little time to owl her son, telling him of her bad news.

Severus threw the ball of rubbish over his head, not caring where it landed.

"Hey!" The indignant cry of his daughter was heard right after, and then he felt the slight touch of the ball of paper smacking into the back of his head.

Severus shriveled his desk chair around to see a sheepish grin on Daisy's face. "You threw it at me first," she defended herself.

"That I did," he said with a nod. "Come here, baby." He opened his arms to her, and she ran to him. He groaned happily at the feeling of his daughter's tiny arms around him. "Papa needs a big hug," he whispered.

"Me too," Daisy whispered back.

*_ / _*

"What have I done now?" Remus asked carefully, eyeing Severus like he was going to bite him.

Severus scowled, crossing his arms. "I still haven't gathered the nerve to tell Harry that neither of his parents can make it to his first Quidditch game."

"Really? Not even James- The Quidditch fanatic?"

"No..."

Remus' face lowered. "I can't believe that," he said in astonishment.

"Criminals are more important to Aurors than family is."

"I'm sure Harry will understand," Remus tried assuring him. "He knows the line of work his parents do. We all know he wants to follow their footsteps."

"With as important as Quidditch was to Potter, I'd have thought he'd do anything to be there for his own son's game; even if he had to sell his soul."

"Well, I hear the murders in Ireland are increasing by the bucket loads. McKindrik had more followers than originally thought. More and more Aurors are being transferred there, as they need every one they can get."

"That's all fine and dandy except Lily had already committed to her family _before _her Auror career."

"I know you're upset," Remus told him gently. "But all you're doing is creating negative energy for the kids."

"It's _her_, not _me_!" Severus snarled.

Remus sighed, and placed a hand up to his forehead. "I'll tell Harry," he said.

"No, I'll do it!" Severus insisted. "He's my stepson, after all."

Remus chuckled. "You better do it soon. The Game's tomorrow. Against Slytherin."

Severus smirked. "So, no matter the turnout, I can be happy at least."

"With Harry as the Seeker, Slytherin has no chance."

Severus nodded in agreement.

"We're going to Hogwarts?!" Daisy squealed two hours later when Severus told her to get ready. "And we get to see Harry?!"

"Yes, now put on your jacket." He held it out for her to slip into.

"No, Papa!" She shrieked, taking it from him. "I don't need your help!" She laughed, as if he had just done a ridiculous thing.

"Fine," he said simply, watching her put the pink and black jacket on. "Zip it," he instructed. "All the way up to your chin."

When Daisy was snuggled into it, Severus apparated them outside of Hogwarts, where his daughter trailed behind him. Her eyes flew every which way in direction, mouth open in awe.

"It's pretty!" She said breathlessly, speaking about the castle.

"Indeed."

"Ah, Severus," Headmaster Dumbledore greeted up in his office. "Have you come to accept the Potions position for next year?"

Severus scoffed. "No thank you. I need to speak to Harry."

Dumbledore nodded, gave a slight wink to Daisy, and told them to wait there while he fetched the boy.

"He's funny!" Daisy giggled.

"You're just easily amused, child," her father told her dryly.

Several minutes later, Harry came in, escorted by the headmaster.

"Harry!" Daisy ran to her brother, who looked uncomfortable with the hug his little sister was giving him in front of Dumbledore.

"Hey, Daze," the eleven year old boy said politely, looking up at Severus with curiosity. "Everything alright?"

Severus found a portrait to look at. "They can't make it. Your Mum and Dad are too busy to come to your first game," he announced uneasily.

"Oh..." The boy was disappointed. He frowned some. "Well, I thought that would happen," he admitted. "You'll be there though? And Daisy?"

Severus' eyes flicker over to Harry. "Yes, of course."

Harry gave him smile. "I'll be happy enough with that- Thank you, Severus. We can just have some pictures taken and send 'em to my Mum and Dad to look at."

"If that's what you want, I'll pay the photographer for copies to made."

"Have four sets made, Severus," Harry said. "You should get your own." Severus raised an eyebrow in question, and Harry shrugged. "If you're willing to watch me play, I don't see why you can't have something to use when you brag about my winning the game." He then grinned at his teasing.

Severus' lips cracked into a smile. "I would very much enjoy that, Harry, thank you."

*_ / _*

"Aren't these just the _cutest_ Christmas cards?!" Lily squealed. She had just received the owl from her son. The border of the cover was in red and gold plaid with a picture of Harry holding the Snitch that he had just caught. Harry wore his burgundy Quidditch player robes, making it all the more festive.

"It's brilliant!" Sirius said, admiring his own. He was lounging next to James on the hotel bed with a hand behind the back of his head, the other was holding onto the Christmas card.

James chuckled. "Remus should get paid for his artistic designs."

"Ah, he prefers teaching students Defense," Sirius pointed out.

"So, when are you two going to come out?" Lily asked her friends. "Severus seems to think James is after me. I don't know how many times I've nearly blurted it out, just to prove it to him..."

James inhaled deeply, looking up at the ceiling in thought. "What would it do to Harry?" He bit his lip in worrisome.

"Harry, himself, is not going to give a rats tail, Prongs," Sirius told him reassuringly.

"It's no big deal being gay," Lily said carelessly. "Most people have accepted it by now."

James nodded. "It can't hurt... At the very least, Snape will stop accusing Lily of doing things she wouldn't." He flashed her a grin.

"_You're_ the one that broke up with _me_!" She said, laughing.

"Along came Padfoot..." James whispered, setting his hand on Sirius' chest, giving the man a passionate look.

Lily cleared her throat to remind them that she was there before they would do anything that she was uncomfortable watching. "I'll be leaving now..."

*_ / _*

Lily entered her home, sighing in relief. Her job was finished. Just in time too. She wanted her arrival to be a surprise, because it was Christmas Eve and her family had thought she wouldn't get to come home for Christmas. But James had finally captured the wizard they had been after, and the Ireland Aurors assured them all that they could take it from there.

She wanted to find Severus first. If the children saw her, the surprise would be ruined from their excitement. He was in his Potions Cellar, coating the head of a toad with crushed sunflower seeds. Severus had the music playing softly.

"I'll have a blue Christmas," he mouthed the words.

"What a depressing song to play," she said disapprovingly, announcing her presence.

His head snapped toward her, eyes glimmering with hope, but he quickly turned back to his work. "So, you're here," he acknowledged simply.

"The case is over," she informed, remaining where she stood, at the base of the steps. "I told Moody that I'll need a long break. I'm even contemplating on changing careers."

"Why?" Severus asked in a whisper.

"Because I missed you too much. Missed Daisy and Harry. I didn't get to help Daisy with her cake, nor watch Harry's first game," her eyes welled up at this. "And, you, Severus, God..." she heaved out a huge breath. "It pained me not to be able to kiss you every night. I could hardly sleep with the bed empty beside me."

"You had Potter with you," Severus grumbled bitterly.

Lily sighed in annoyance. "James is gay, Severus. He and Sirius have been together since Harry was months old. He broke up with me _because _of that. It is _you _that I married, and you're just going to have to accept that."

Severus faced her, his lips twitching into a smile, and Lily walked to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, looking up at him. "Kiss me, you silly man!"

Severus cupped her face into his hands, and brought his lips down onto hers, fulfilling his wife's request. "Merry Christmas, my love," he said softly. "It's nice to have my Lily back."

They all had a very special Christmas, with lots of laughter, music, singing, and of course-

"Presents!" Daisy screeched out in excitement as Lily and Severus came into the living room with several sacks of items to spoil their children with.


	4. Don't Get Too Close

**Round 4;**

**Team:**_ The BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:** _Beater 2_

**Main Prompt** \- Write your given emotion without actually using the word; grief

**-Additional Prompts**

_1\. (style) first person POV_

_2\. (song) 'Demons' by Imagine Dragons_

_13\. (word) icicle_

**Story Title: **_Don't Get Too Close_

**Summary:** _How I feel everyday when I think of you._

* * *

_When your dreams all fail_

_And the ones we hail_

_Are the worst of all_

_And the blood's run stale_

* / *

Everyday I am reminded of you. Every bloody time when I look into our son's eyes. Often, I am grateful that he has your eyes, but sometimes... sometimes I just can't stand it.

His eyes, they shine so bright. Yours used to do that too when we were together, hidden away from the outside world in our attempts to escape realty. They glitter when he's excited. That's usually the worst for me, and he seems to sense it. He tries to hide it now for my sake, because I cry when I see the identical glow he has to yours. I can't help it! And I hate it! I am destroying our son's character, his joy, because you are gone, because I'll never see you again. Never hear you nor kiss you again.

It hurts me everyday, like a cold, sharp icicle stuck straight into my heart. All the mistakes I have made, it cost you. It cost you more than I can bare.

If it wasn't for him, dear, I'd have ended it long ago.

* / *

_I wanna hide the truth_

_I wanna shelter you_

_But with the beast inside_

_There's nowhere we can hide_

* / *

Our friendship was forbidden. Our relationship was criminal, but we didn't care, did we? We were reckless teenagers, we did whatever the hell we wanted. Which was funny, since neither of us had been sorted into Gryffindor!

I remember each kiss. From our first, awkward one to our last, dying one. Naturally, that one was the worst. I don't remember tasting the blood that had been seeping from your mouth. I didn't much care about it at the time. I only wanted to feel your lips against mine. One last time. I know you had felt the same way. I could tell by the way you had closed your eyes, and held your breath, as if this was the last thing you had wanted to remember before you made your unavoidable leave.

I remember the first time we expressed our love in that sinful, forbidden fashion. I giggled at the time. Remember that? Oh, how my parents would have literally beaten me for such an activity with a muggleborn like yourself!

I regret it now. I can no longer giggle over that moment that had happened in our lives. If I had been thinking more, I may had been able to save you.

* / *

_They say it's what you make_

_I say it's up to fate_

_It's woven in my soul_

_I need to let you go_

* / *

It was not my fault that you had retrieved my lost item. I did not ask you to do that in second year, but you did, and it started something. I did not expect such a gesture from someone like you. Our groups didn't get along. They haven't since the dawn, but you were different. Or, maybe, it was I that was different. I don't really much know. It's not like that matters at all.

I was only twelve and I knew it though. I could not be your friend. I could not be your anything. My housemates ordered me to keep my distance.

And, so I did...

* / *

_Don't wanna let you down_

_But I am hell bound_

_Though this is all for you_

_Don't wanna hide the truth_

* / *

By the next year, there was no denying my feelings for you. And, by the way your bloody eyes shined when they would see me, I could tell your feelings were matched to mine. Yours always met mine, glowing with the tiniest hope that I would eventually say one measly thing to you. And, when I finally did, all you did was choke up. I had rolled my eyes at your response, but I couldn't help laughing. I had been amused. I had given you exactly what you had wanted, and you were unable to do the same for me because you had been too busy stuttering like a fool.

I have not laughed since the day that I had lost you. All I do is cry now. All I do is hurt our son with my blatant display of my pain.

* / *

_Don't get too close_

_It's dark inside_

_It's where my demons hide_

_It's where my demons hide_

* / *

I denied our love for far too long. Our blissful life together was short because I allowed other people to dictate my life, unwilling to forge a path of my own. It was how I had been raised. I had never been permitted to do what I had wanted. And, because of that, I hurt you. I turned against you, pushed you away. I know now that you understood what I had to do. I just wish that you hadn't been so bloody tempting. I wish you would have listened to me better.

I still blame myself. I should have been stronger for you. I knew the repercussions. I had witnessed them before.

No matter what we breed, though, we're still made of greed. It is my fault. My fault that I will never see you again. My fault that our son will never get to meet you.

You're buried outside of my home in which I share with our son. It was my choice, since we had been married when my mother had murdered you for 'damaging' my purity.

My family and I don't talk anymore. Some are imprisoned. Some are dead. I do not cry for them. I do not mourn for the ones that are gone.

Not like I do for you.

All my heart feels is a chill. A chill from the icicle of guilt that has been lodged into it since the day I sentenced you to your end.

And I'll never forgive myself for the demons hiding inside me. But, do remember, my love, I did warn you. Don't you remember? I had whispered to you in the broom closet, "Don't get too close."

Your last words made me realize that you knew the dangers, but you didn't care. It was worth it to you. You had placed a smile on your face. "It's dark inside," you had murmured against my lips. Those had been your last words to me before those eyes of beauty went still and froze into place, never to move again. Never to shine one last time.

* * *

**AN: The identities of the characters involved were intentionally written to be a mystery.**


	5. I Cannot Hide This Any Longer

**Round 4;**

**Team:** _The BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:**_ Chaser 3_

**Main Prompt** \- _Write your given emotion without actually using the word; scared_

**-Additional Prompts**

_1\. (style) first person POV_

_12\. (word) dawn_

_13\. (word) icicle_

**Story Title:**_ I Cannot Hide This Any Longer_

**Summary:**_ I am afraid you'll hate us because we are not what you would consider normal._

**10 Characters, 10 Prompts Challenge**

_Isobel McGonagall_

_Fright_

* * *

I licked my trembling lips, which were now chapped from doing it one too many times. I squeezed my eyes shut. "Please," I whispered to her. "Please stop."

"Isobel?" My husband entered the room.

I quickly turned from him. I couldn't let him see her. Not when she was like this. "I-I n-need a min-minute, Robert."

He approached me, setting a hand onto my shoulder. "What is it, my love?" He asked worriedly. "Is she alright?" He then tried peeking over my shoulder to look at the baby who was crying nonstop.

I sniffed, tucking the baby close to my chest, protecting her, hiding her solid black face from him. Little Minerva had unintentionally grew an enormous amount of long, bushy hair among her face. It resembled much like the fur from a cat.

I nodded an answer, hoping that my husband didn't notice that I was quivering from head to toe. I felt his hand drop from my shoulder, and heard it smack to the side of his body.

He sighed. "I do not know what I have done to you, Isobel," he said sadly. "I wish you would tell me though. I have done so much for you recently. Everyone is talking about how strange you have been since the birth of our child. I know that you are depressed, but I am frightened. I cannot help to think that you are stuck in this mood. Tell me, Isobel, please tell me what it is that is bothering you."

I didn't tell him. I couldn't. I feared he would disown our daughter. I did not want our daughter to face rejection like I had with my own parents when they had shunned me from the family. I feared that what my Mother and Father had once told me would end up being the truth about Robert and every other Muggle. I prayed every day that they would be wrong. I just couldn't do this alone. I couldn't raise a child on my own. I had nothing. Robert and I barely had anything to begin with. A woman raising a child by herself had no chance. Neither of us would make it if Robert rejected us.

He left me alone then. The only sound I heard was the shutting of the door.

"Oh, Minerva, my sweet, sweet child," I sobbed, and joined in on her cries. My daughter was unhappy, and I had not a clue on how to sooth her.

* / *

"No, Minerva!" I shrieked, lunging for the pot that hovered in mid air. I gasped for my breath, my heart pounded against my chest as it felt like it was trying to thrash its way out.

I glanced behind my back, frightened that Robert had seen what Minerva had done.

"You can't do that!" I told her stiffly when I declared that the room was safe.

My two month old daughter opened her mouth up to cry, upset that I had scolded her. My face lowered sullenly, knowing that I had done wrong; Minerva couldn't help who she was.

"I'm sorry," I told her, lifting the baby into my arms. "I'm just afraid." I kissed her cheek. "If your father finds out, he'll be very angry at us."

But my daughter was too young to understand that she was a witch. A very powerful one at that.

* / *

"What do you think, my dear?" Robert asked, gesturing to the heavily decorated tree. He was trying to cheer me up with the Christmas tree, but I just wasn't in the mood. I missed the magical trees from the world that I had came from.

"You're not supposed to have icicles on it," I grumbled. I got up and took an icicle off the tree, wrapping my fingers around it. My fingers turned white from the tight hold.

Robert's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I thought you liked them? You're always telling me that it is your favorite thing about winter."

"Not anymore," I muttered, removing every lousy one off the tree. I wanted _real_ icicles. Ones transfigured from pebbles, not these bogus things that my husband found to be a sufficient replacement.

I went up stairs to Minerva's room, and retrieved my wand from my hiding place, locking the door to keep my husband out. "Hello, Minny," I greeted my sleeping baby. I then strung up the fake icicles across her window and flicked my wand, turning them into real ones. "Enjoy, my sweet daughter," I told her softly, transfiguring a chair into a bed to sleep in.

"Isobel?" I woke up to the sound of Robert calling my name, followed by the tapping of his knuckles against the closed door. "We need to talk."

Minerva had also woken up, screeching in delight at the sound of her father. I rubbed my eyes, looking at my child kicking her feet, ready to be tended to. I changed the bed back into the chair then unlocked the door, and hid my wand under the baby's clothes in the dresser.

I stood at the dresser, guarding it as he entered. His eyes shifted from me and to our daughter, then back to me. He walked to me, and put his hands up to my upper arms, holding onto them firmly. "Tell me!" He pleaded. "I won't let you go until you tell me why you come up here so often, and hardly let me see my child!"

I looked away, tears welling up in my eyes. My teeth started chattering with fright. I was so terrified. I didn't know what to do.

"Don't you love me? Don't you trust me?" Robert sounded hurt, and the frown on his face, the tear sliding down his face, solidified it. I had offended him.

"Of course I do..."

"Then what is it?!" Robert shook me slightly in frustration.

"I'm afraid!" I blurted without having the chance to stop it from coming out.

He took me into a tight hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered to me. "I'm so sorry for whatever I've done to you to make you fear me-"

"It's not you," I tried reassuring him in a quiet voice. "It's-" I wrapped my arms around him, shuddering against him.

"Isobel, you can tell me. No matter what it is!"

I burst into tears, "No! I can't! You don't understand!"

Robert pulled from me, eyeing me carefully. "Then make me understand, darling."

I wiped my face, knowing that this feeling wasn't going to go away unless he knew. "I do not want you to take this out on Minerva," I said firmly. "She did not ask for this."

He tilted his head, trying to figure out what I had meant by that. I pulled from him, taking a deep breath, and took my wand out to show him what I was.

He gaped his mouth when I performed a spell, unleashing the witch inside me for the very first time in front of him.

"Oh, Isobel! You have nothing to be afraid of, my dear wife! My opinion of you has changed none!" He kissed me then, and I was instantly relieved, a huge burden had been lifted from my chest.

Our daughter squealed, and we broke our kiss. "Look," my husband pointed out the window. The sun was beginning to rise. "_Dawn is like a gate that opens..._" he sang into my ear, kissing me one last time before he went over to Minerva. Robert picked her up. "So, my wife and daughter are witches, hmm?"

Minerva gave him a toothless grin.


	6. His Crush

**Round 5;**

**Team:** _The BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:**_ Beater 2  
_

**Main Prompt** \- Write a character your team chooses in his 6th year;_** Regulus Black  
**_

**-Additional Prompts**

_11\. (quote) 'Who says we have to grow up?' - Walt Disney  
12\. (phrase) return the favour  
13\. (word) ridiculous_

**Story Title:**_ His Crush  
_

**Summary:**_ Regulus Black and Barty Crouch Jr are friends, but Regulus wants to be more than just friends. _**Warning; Slash pairing. Rated T**

* * *

"What do you think?" Regulus asked his friend. He held up the sketch of Barty that he had just finished.

Barty made a face. "My eyes look too close together."

"That's how they really are, Barty," Regulus defended his work.

Barty sniffed indignantly. "I think not!"

Regulus stopped himself from sighing. He liked everything about Barty. Even if the boy didn't realize that his puny amount of imperfections were what made him better looking. To Regulus anyway.

"Ask anyone, then," Regulus said. "Oi, Milciber!" He called out to one of his housemates a few seats up the Slytherin table.

"What, Black?"

"What do you think?" Regulus held the sketch up beside Barty's face.

Milciber tilted his head, and shifted his eyes back and forth between the sketching and Barty. "Black's got you down perfectly, Crouch! Never realized how close together your eyes are, and what's wrong with your nose? It looks a bit crooked."

Barty rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath.

"Well, I think your eyes and nose are fine just the way they are, Barty," a feminine voice gently said behind Crouch.

Regulus scowled and rolled up his sketching of Barty. He secretly made a gagging gesture, making a couple of Slytherins across the table snicker in amusement.

"Why, thank you, Miss Greenglass," Barty said with a tone deeper than his usual one.

Regulus shoveled a forkful of potatoes into his mouth. He hated that girl. Margaux Greenglass; Slytherin Queen and Head Girl. Barty was in absolute love with her. Her feelings seemed to match his, and, often, Regulus found himself refraining the urge to hurl his guts up when he had had the misfortune of being in their presence. They were utterly ridiculous; always staring at each other for far too long. Longer than Regulus was comfortable watching.

But, then again, even a single second of someone taking Barty's attention from him was too much for Regulus.

He finally nudged his friend in the ribs, breaking off Barty's daydreaming of marrying the girl (Barty boasted about it enough in private to Regulus. Enough for Regulus to get jealous over that idiot girl). She wasn't good enough for Barty. Not like _he _was. The girl's only talent was Potions (which unfortunately just happened to be Barty's favourite class). She was talentless after that. Except for her very girly, taunting walk, that could make practically every guy (including some in other houses) turn their heads and watch her seductive swaying.

Not Regulus though. Only one set of hips made him turn his head, and they didn't belong to a girl.

"Check this out," Barty stood up from the bench, grinning some. Barty didn't grin a whole lot. Only when he thought he was about to do something funny, which usually meant he was going to impersonate someone. "Who am I?" He smoothed back his hair (Regulus stirred in his seat, thinking Barty's hair looked wonderful all slicked back) and lifted his nose up snobbishly into the air. He looked back and forth out of the corners of his eyes. "Now then," he spoke out of his nose. This made quite a few students laugh. "How many times must you twirl the tip of your wand before you can cast a successful defense against a Boodletoff?"

"It's Professor Poats!" A first year exclaimed, giggling so much that he was starting to hiccup. This instigated more laughter amongst the Slytherins.

"Correct, you are, young sprout!" Barty (still in character) dramatically pointed at the boy, illustrating exactly what their professor would do if someone had gotten a correct answer. He snorted wetly, as if he had something caught in the deep of his throat. "Five points to the wise Slytherin! Job well done, laddie!"

The surrounding Slytherin students clapped both in mockery and also praising Barty for his perfect impression of their professor.

Barty bowed. "Thank you very much," he paused to snort. "My little young sprouts."

Like most of the Slytherins, Regulus admired Barty, but his admiration was different. It was also forbidden.

He scowled when he noticed that Margaux was clapping eagerly, laughing along with the rest of them.

_Sometimes life just wasn't fair._

*_ / _*

"You need a girl, mate." Barty told Regulus a week a later. "Pandora Corner has been looking at you a lot recently."

"No _thank _you," Regulus grumbled. Even if he could poke at Lovegood a little (who everyone knew would do anything just for a simple _look _from Miss Corner), he wasn't interested in courting a girl. Xenophilius Lovegood was on the Ravenclaw quidditch team; a Seeker, just like Regulus, so the two would often get into childish rows together.

Pandora was beautiful, but Regulus didn't want _her_.

Barty chuckled. "You're more like your brother than you would like to think."

"I am _not_!" That was something he did not want to hear. Not from his best friend. Not from the boy he crushed on. Not from Barty, who Regulus was sure he was in love with.

"Sure you are. You both have all these girls throwing themselves at your feet, and neither of you seem to notice it at all."

"Girls flock to _Sirius_ not _me_..."

Barty rolled his eyes. "You're in denial. What's your problem?"

Regulus shrugged. "Nothing, I suppose," he mumbled.

"Reg," Barty said softly, seriously. "You're a terrible liar. Are you afraid of girls? Are you thinking your mother is going to make you marry the first girl you fall for?"

"No..." Regulus had never thought about it much, but now that Barty brought it up, it made him a bit nervous. Since Sirius had been removed from the family, it was up to Regulus to keep the family going. It was not something he was interested in doing. Not when he was sure that he was in love with a boy.

_How can I marry a girl when I love a boy?_

"Regulus," Barty kept his soft tone, noticing Regulus' sick look. "It's alright. Who says we have to grow up so soon? We're still young. We don't have to rush into things. You have plenty of time for all that adult rubbish."

Regulus nodded. "You're right, Barty. Besides, my mother has never even mentioned about me getting married. For most of my life, that has been Sirius' thing to do, since he was the eldest. I think my mother has been too upset with him to think much about me at the moment. But..." he paused, sighing sadly. "I know that I will need to step up and take over. It's the proper thing to do after all."

Barty set his hand onto Regulus' shoulder. "Take all the time that _you _need. It's your life after all."

*_ / _*

Regulus walked into the common room the next day to see Barty tormenting his toad with a spell he had learned. He had the most ugliest look that Regulus had ever seen his friend sport in their entire friendship.

"What's wrong, Bart?" Regulus asked, sitting next to him.

"Greenglass," Barty snarled, flicking his wand, making the toad flop on its back and flail wildly. Regulus winced. He knew the spell that Barty had cast to make _that _happen.

"You're going to kill it..." Regulus warned, tapping Barty on the arm. "What happened with Greenglass?"

Barty looked around the room uneasily. There was only one other Slytherin occupying the room, but it was a seventh year, studying for her NEWTS. The girl was heavily absorbed in her books.

Barty lifted his sleeve showing Regulus the Dark Mark. Regulus' eyes grew. "He gave you that _already_?" Regulus couldn't believe that the Dark Lord would give it to Barty before himself! Barty was younger than him!

Barty looked smug by Regulus' surprise. He proudly nodded. "Yes, he did. I think he considers me like a son. He never married, you know, and Voldemort is a much better father figure than my own father."

"I understand..." Regulus whispered. Barty and his father didn't get along well at all.

"So, you don't have the Mark yet?"

"No," Regulus murmured. "It's scheduled to happen during the Hols. I'd had told you if I had gotten it. Does it hurt?"

Barty brushed the back of his hand along his Mark. "At first, yes. It's much like a branding. But now it just tingles a bit with a slight burning sensation." He shrugged. "Nothing unbearable. You get used to it."

"I can't wait until I can get mine," Regulus said blissfully.

Barty then grunted moodily. "Just make sure that whoever you end up dating is okay on your status with Voldemort."

"Is that what happened? Greengrass saw the Mark?"

Barty curled up his upper lip. "I was careless... It won't happen again."

Regulus never was told what exactly had happened between Barty and the Greenglass girl, but there was a lot of people that didn't support the Dark Lord. Slytherins included.

*_ / _*

"Now, how do you feel?" Barty asked, slapping Regulus playfully on the back.

Regulus had returned to Hogwarts after getting his Mark from the Dark Lord, proudly showing it off to his friend. They stood in a deserted bathroom, arms held out side by side, comparing their Marks.

"It feels great!" Regulus said, grinning from ear to ear. He felt even closer to Barty Crouch than ever before. His pulse sped up as their arms touched together. He bit his lip nervously, noticing Barty had narrowed his eyes at him.

"What?" Barty asked cautiously.

"Nothing," Regulus quickly looked away. He wanted to move, but he was unable to, his feet were somehow rooted to the ground. He couldn't bring himself to do it. Maybe it was because his knees were starting to shake.

"Liar," Barty accused and grabbed Regulus' forearm, sending the hairs on it to stand on end. Regulus was sure that his heart was about to burst right out of his chest. Barty laughed. "You're nervous. What about?"

Regulus swallowed hard. His breathing became quick, and he began to sweat. His eyes went to Barty's smiling lips. He licked his own, wondering what it would feel like to kiss Barty. He leaned in, heavily focused on his friend's mouth. And then he did a very stupid thing. A stupid thing that felt so enormously right.

Regulus actually _kissed_ him! It was a simple one. Very quick. Nothing more than a peck really. He pulled away with an embarrassed squeak and started backing away, darting his eyes around, unwilling to look Barty directly in the face.

"What are you doing?" Barty demanded.

"I'm s-sorry!" Regulus stuttered, cowering backwards as Barty cornered him against one of the walls. Barty gripped his robes. He had a questionable look on his face. "Please! It was a mis-mistake! Don't hurt me, Barty!" Regulus shut his eyes as Barty brought his face just an inch from his own.

"Reg, I'm not going to hurt you," Barty whispered softly, sending his hot, damp breath flooding against Regulus' face. "But I am going to return the favour."

Regulus opened his eyes, surprised to hear how well Barty was taking this. "You're not upset?" He asked very slowly.

Barty grinned. "I was wondering if you'd ever bloody kiss me, you fool!" And Barty snatched the collar of Regulus' robes, pulling Regulus to him, enclosing the gap between them, giving him the most wonderful moment he would ever have in his life.


	7. Marshal Harry Potter

**Round 6;**

**Team:** _The BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:**_ Beater 2  
_

**Main Prompt** -_ Pick and write an uncommon genre: **Western  
**_

**-Additional Prompts**

_1\. (dialogue) "So… what exactly is that?"_

_4\. (word) chasing_

**Story Title:**_ Marshal Harry Potter  
_

**Summary:**_ A day in the life of Harry Potter in the Western World. _**Rated T. AU  
**

* * *

Harry sat up on the edge of the cot, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with the tips of his fingers. The springs of another cot not far from him squeaked making him do a simple glance at the man who was in the same room as he. Other than that one quick look, he chose to ignore the man and began to get dressed.

"H-ow m-many more d-days?" The man stuttered, stepping up to the wall of bars that separated them.

"One less than yesterday when you had asked that same question," Harry answered, slipping on a boot.

"P-Please," the portly man gripped the bars with his hands in desperation. "Don't l-let them d-do th-this!"

Harry sat his hat onto the top of his head. "It is out of my hands, Pettigrew," Harry said grimly. "People don't take kindly to thieves, 'specially ones who take from widowed mothers." He clenched his jaw and left the jailhouse, knowing that if he'd stay much longer he'd risk losing his temper.

Outside, the air was layered with a thin haze of dust caused from disturbing the dirt path that weaved its way throughout the town. People were bustling hither and yon, having already busied themselves, not allowing a second to go wasted. Mostly these were the town's merchants, ensuring that their stores were ready for that day's work.

Harry heard cheerful whistling that came from a tiny man named Filius Flitwick as he prepared himself to paint the front of his building. Mr. Flitwick was a new comer, having had just bought the building no less than a week ago, excited to open up his theater that would give the town some much anticipated entertainment.

Across from the jailhouse, Harry noticed a small crowd of five older men happily jawing about their times as young men. One must have told one hell of a funny moment, as the rest had burst out into merry chuckles.

A boy and his father passed by on their way to the barber. The boy was listening to his father seriously as the man was giving him a swell piece of advice, "Never ask how stupid someone is 'cause they'll be sure enough to turn around an' just show it to ya!"

"Oh, Marshal!" A woman called flirtatiously, pulling Harry from his watch.

Harry didn't have to turn his head to know that it was Pansy Parkinson. He was not oblivious to her liking of him, but he was definitely not interested. Not interested in _anything _she had to offer to him. Nonetheless, he forced a charming smile, in an effort to be polite and friendly. It was part of his job, after all. "Good morning, Ms. Parkinson," he greeted, shifting his eyes from her skimpy, colourful dress. "What brings you from the saloon so early?"

She batted her eyes adoringly and stepped up to him. She was much closer than he'd like her to be, but that was not abnormal for the floozie. "It's a bit dead at the moment," she explained. "I was sent over to gather some supplies."

"The General Store is over there," Harry pointed it out, even though she knew the exact location.

Pansy pursed her lips out into a pout. "You should take a yonder over when you have a chance, Marshal." She delicately placed a finger onto his chest, tapping it gently. "We don't _just _serve whiskey."

Harry nodded. "I know all exactly what is served there, Ms. Parkinson. I can assure you."

She pulled away, taking the hint (for the time being). "We offer discounts to officials," she informed him (also not something he did not know). Pansy then winked at him before walking off, making sure to sway her hips more than usual.

Harry stopped himself from shuddering and focused on a group of young boys who were sprinting by on their brooms. The majority of the boys looked to be chasing a particular one, judging by the lead he had on them.

"Hey, Uncle Harry!" One of the boys, Teddy Lupin, shouted as he rode by, eagerly waving. Harry returned the wave, but did not say anything, knowing the boy's attention had quickly faltered from him and had went back to his game.

A sudden high pitched scream alerted Harry. In a hurry, he removed his wand from his holster and ran towards the sound of distress. A person was sailing toward him, and, if he had not dodged out of the way quick enough, they would had collided into him. Momentarily stunned, he watched a blur of colour race pass him, all the while a woman was pleading shakily for help.

Snapping out of the trance with a shake of his head, Harry saw the back of a lady who was distancing herself further and further every second. He accio'ed his broom and hopped onto it, kicking at the ground hard, and leaning forward to increase his speed. In no time, he had caught up to the woman, reaching out his hand. "Grab my hand!" Harry shouted.

"I c-can't!" She shrieked. She had not even looked his way, too busy trying to get the broom under control, but Harry knew that there was only one way that it was going to stop.

"Unless you want to die right now, take my damn hand, woman!"

The woman's eyes widened at the building she was closing in on, she froze up in horror. Her lips were slightly parted, trembling in fear.

Harry stood up onto his broom, balancing on the stick of it using just his feet. His heart began to thud harshly after he jerked his body to the left to keep from plummeting to the earth. Without giving it much more of a thought, he leaped at the other broom, snatching onto the tail of it. The added weight at the back end made the broom tilt upward. Harry's ears rang while the woman screamed a second time. They were going straight up into the sky now, just like a firework. Harry then climbed up the broom, grunting all the while. He did not look down. He knew better than to do that. This wasn't his first time wrestling with an out of control broom.

Finally, Harry managed to settle himself behind the woman. Just in time too, she immediately went limp, and he had to wrap an arm around her to prevent her from falling.

"Harry!"

The sound of Deputy Neville Longbottom gave Harry a bit of relief. "Neville!" He gasped as the Deputy pulled his broom along side him. With no other words exchanged, they worked like clockwork, settling the woman on Neville's broom.

"And you?!" Neville called out.

"Just worry about her!"

The air was getting thick now, and colder. Harry didn't want to even guess how high up he was. He summoned his own broom, hastily making the switch. He sighed in relief, wiping the layer of sweat from his forehead that had accumulated during the event. The other broom leveled off and disappeared from site.

Chaos met him when Harry returned back to solid ground. There was a crowd standing outside the clinic, jabbering away about the woman who had fainted. "Out of the way," Harry ordered, pushing himself through the people. He knocked on the door and it opened a crack, allowing Harry to see one of Neville's brown eyes. The Deputy swung the door wider, allowing Harry entrance and shut it back up when Harry was inside.

"Is she alright?" Harry asked.

Nevile nodded. "Madam Pomfrey is seeing to her now. She said that the lady was only in shock. She's administerin' potions now," just as he finished, Madam Pomfrey entered the room with the woman, who was slightly pale faced.

"Ma'am," Harry greeted gently, tipping his hat for a matching gesture. "I'm Marshal Harry Potter, and this is my Deputy, Neville Longbottom; how are you fairin'? That was quite a flight you had there!"

The woman smiled sheepishly, removing her fancy yellow gloves. "I do apologize, I am not normally so frantic!" She laughed lightly. "Hermione Granger," she introduced herself, extending out a hand. "I am thankful for all your help," she said, taking a turn to shake each of their hands, "This town's already proven to be quite hospitable! I'll enjoy working here; if everyone is as neighborly as the folks I have met so far!"

"Working here?" Harry asked. "Are you the new school teacher we were expecting?"

"I certainly am!"

"Well, then, Ms. Granger, welcome to Godrick's Hollow, I'm sure you have a pleasant experience."

Ms. Granger gave a shy smile before looking away. "Please, Marshal, call me Hermione."

"In that case, I insist that you call me Harry."

*_/ _*

Harry had an enormous headache. He had just spent the last three hours at the end of the lashing tongue of a very upset Severus Snape (not that Mr. Snape was a cheery man to begin with). After all the commotion had died down with Hermione, there had been a loud crash, and it was shortly discovered that the unfortunate Potions shop owner would need a new roof, as the broken broom had fallen clean right through it. Naturally, Mr. Snape blamed this on Harry; the two didn't get along very well together and Mr Snape usually blamed _everything _that went wrong in his life on Harry, one way or another. But even after Harry had offered to repair the roof, the grumpy man continued to try to publicly humiliate Harry. This used to bother Harry when he was younger, but he had long ago learned that arguing with the man was always a losing battle because, in the end, Harry would want to send a hex to his head. Of course he never _did_, but one day, he just might end up doing it.

Thankfully, Mr. Snape disappeared when Mayor Dumbledore spoke a few soft words and sent the man stalking back into his dingy shop.

"Need a double?" Sirius Black asked when he had seen Harry enter the saloon and sit down at a table.

"A triple," Harry muttered. "And don't start," he warned his friends, Neville, Hagrid, and Ron, who were already sitting at the table. Ron snorted, grumbled something and began dealing a deck of cards. Hagrid shook his head, but focused his attention more on his hand of cards. Neville didn't respond, knowing Harry's moodiness when he seen it.

"So, about the new teacher," Sirius started, setting a glass down in front of Harry. "She's somethin', hmm? Wild hair, but she certainly has spunk!"

"I thought she was a bit snobby," Ron said. "Who comes _here _all dressed in clothes fit for a royal? She'll learn fast that those clothes won't last long here in Godrick's Hollow."

"I think that she was just tryin' to make a good impression," Harry theorized. "She doesn't seem the type to dress like that all the time."

"'Arry's right," Hagrid chimed in.

Sirius shrugged. "She'd look good in anythin' though, eh, Harry?" The older man nudged Harry playfully with his elbow.

"I fold." Harry threw his cards down, trying to ignore his godfather's comment.

"Oh, then you like her?" Ron asked, tossing a coin into the center of the pile to call the hand.

"She'll make a perfect teacher."

"And more!" Sirius chuckled gleefully, scooping the pot toward him while the rest of those who had stuck out the hand groaned in annoyance. "So, I reckon there's no need to send Pansy over for a good time anymore?"

"I told you to stop that long ago," Harry muttered.

Sirius clicked his tongue. "You don't know what you're missin', son."

"What... exactly _is _that...?" Seamus Finnagin asked, stopping at their table and eying a large jar of inedible looking food.

"Pickled eggs," Hagrid answered, unscrewing the lid. "I made 'em myself; want some?" He offered as the surrounding men wrinkled their noses from the smell.

"I don't think the brine is supposed to be black, Hagrid," Seamus said gently.

The batwing doors of the saloon swung inward with a thud then, ending the conversation as they all saw a blonde man enter, followed by two bulky men with messy brown hair. The blonde looked around before settling his eyes on Hagrid. He scowled, armed himself with his wand, and stalked over to Harry's table.

"You're beast's done attacked my chickens again; you best pay for my losses! _Right now_!"

"What? Fang?!" Hagrid gasped. "I keep tellin' yer, Malfoy, Fang wouldn't hurt a soul!"

"I saw him do it!" Draco Malfoy spat. "You can't make excuses for that beast anymore! Either you pay me 500 shillings, or your precious beast that you call a _dog _is going to be swingin' in my hangin' tree by sun up!"

"No, not Fang!" Hagrid burst out, hauling himself up from his chair and knocking it over.

"Malfoy," Harry spoke up. "There's a better-"

"Don't get into this, Potter!" Malfoy's eyes flashed with anger. "You can't play favorites this time! I've already got the beast tied up on my property! And _any _trespassers will be _executed _on sight. Marshal or not!"

Harry calmly stood up. "You're only doing this because Hagrid can't fight you back, as he's not allowed to cast magic."

"You think so?!" Malfoy directed his wand toward Harry. "How about I prove how wrong you are right now, Potter?! In front of all these witnesses, you can bleed to death right here in your uncle's saloon!"

"The hell he will!" snarled Sirius, joining Harry's side, and pulling out his own wand.

"Just like any other time, Potter can never fight his own battles. All that shows is how yella you are!"

Harry grit his teeth, and pushed Sirius out of his way. "I am _not _yella!"

"Then draw your wand out now, and let's see how good you _really _are!"

"No," Harry said, looking around carefully at the bystanders. "Not here..."

"Because of all the _innocents_?" Malfoy jeered. His face softened, giving it a thought over. "Fine then, out there," he pointed out into the street. "Man to man; 7 AM tomorrow morning."

"And if I win, Hagrid's debt is paid," Harry bargained.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Like that would ever happen!"

"Say it, Malfoy! Hagrid's debt is paid if you lose."

"_Yes_, the oaf will owe me nothing, Potter." Malfoy hissed and stalked to the door before he turned around with a second thought. He scanned his eyes across the room with an ugly grin. "Godrick Hollow might just need a new Marshal after tomorrow; get ready, folks."

"You just leave your two henchman out of it, Mr. Malfoy," Harry warned, "Or they'll be sent straight to the jailhouse."

Malfoy's lip curled up. "Don't wimp out, Potter," was all he replied with before he finally made his exit.

*_ / _*

"You're really going to do this?!" Hermione asked in disbelief. "It's absurd!"

"I don't know about where you came from, but _here_, we don't back down from a challenge to a fight."

"But you could be _killed_!" She whispered as she darted her eyes around the noisy people that had crowded at the sides of the road to watch. "This is barbaric!"

"It's life here," Harry told her bluntly. "You may want to get used to it if you're goin' to stay here."

"Well, I'm not going to stand around and watch!" She huffed and turned on her heel, walking off.

"Potter!" Malfoy's shout diverted Harry's attention from the woman. "You ready?!"

Harry joined him in the streets, they stood facing each other. The crowd went quiet now, not willing to miss a moment of this. "Alright, Malfoy, I'm ready."

"Last chance to wimp out, Potter!"

"You wish!"

"On the count of seven-"

"Not three?" Harry asked.

"Seven's my lucky number."

Harry nodded. "Seven's good, whatever you think will help you better."

Malfoy began counting as both men positioned their hands at their wand holsters. When he got to seven, they snatched their wands out, casting spells at the same time. Their attacks met and disappeared with a spark. Malfoy attacked aggressively and Harry blocked as many on coming spells as he could, waiting for him to tire himself out. When the blonde was breathing hard, and his spells slowed, Harry disarmed him. Malfoy's wand flew out of his hand and behind him, hitting the ground before shattering into pieces. His steel, grey eyes went wide at the sight of his broken wand.

"That's a _serious_ offense, Potter!" he finally spat out when his shock wore off. "I could get you hung for that!"

"You lost Malfoy," Harry announced. "Go home."

Malfoy scrunched up his face and stalked to his awaiting friends. He exchanged a few words with Crabbe. Moments later, Crabbe handed him his own wand and Malfoy spun around, aiming it at Harry who was already prepared for this, knowing Malfoy didn't play fair. A red light flashed and Malfoy fell over, unmoving. Everyone circled around him

"Is he dead?" Ron nudged Malfoy's leg with the tip of his boot.

Harry scoffed. "'Course not!" He and Neville chased Malfoy's friends off and took him to the jailhouse to chill down.

"You didn't kill him." Hermione stated later on that afternoon.

"Nah, Malfoy's bites are as dangerous as a worm's."

"But worms don't bite."

Harry laughed. "Exactly."

"In any case, it was enough of a distraction to save Hagrid's boar-hound," Hermione said with a sly grin. "And when he finds out-" she thumbed to the sleeping Malfoy behind her. "I'm sure I'll never hear the end of it!"


	8. Meeting Lacerta

**Round 7;**

**Team:** _The BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:**_ Beater 2  
_

**Main Prompt** -_ Potions Class; Polyjuice**  
**_

**-Additional Prompts**

3\. (poem) 'Winter' by Jan Allison  
4\. (colour) olive  
5\. (picture) *_fire place_*

**Story Title:**_ Meeting Lacerta  
_

**Summary:**_ Young Scorpius finds a girl in his room late one night.** No ratings necessary**_**. Family.  
**

* * *

The wind howled, whistling through the tops of the trees. The cold, bitter breeze cut right through little Scorpius' heavy winter robes. Sharp pieces of ice, that had once clung onto the scrawny limbs of the trees, shattered around the boy, sliding along the sheet of the solid white layer of ice.

Scorpius' hold on his mother's gloved hand got tighter. He pushed himself closer to her as they neared the Manor, walking along the what would have been a paved path if it hadn't been covered with ice. No matter where he looked, Scorpius saw only white and it was nearly blinding. But he wasn't scared, because his mother would know the way back. He was just cold. Very cold. And he couldn't wait until they were back inside.

Finally inside, the ten year old removed his outdoor clothes and his mother directed him to sit down in front of the fireplace to warm up. He stared at the dancing orange and red flames, relieved to feel heat at last. He shivered a bit, a reaction of his body returning back to its regular temperature.

A few minutes later, a house elf came in with a serving tray, setting it onto a table. "Thank you, Snuffy," Mother said politely and excused Snuffy before calling Scorpius over to sit down for tea.

"When will Father come up?" Scorpius asked in his tiny voice.

His mother frowned and took her time in responding. Scorpius knew the answer probably wouldn't be "Soon." He twirled a biscuit in his hands, looking at it.

"He's really busy, sweetie," Mother said apologetically.

Scorpius lifted his shoulders up, pretending to be fine with the answer. Pouting about it wasn't going to make things better. "I know," he said softly and took a small nibble off his treat.

"And when he's through, he'll play with you!"

Scorpius could tell that she was just trying to make him feel better by forcing herself to be cheery. He gave a simple nod in response. He knew that too. But it had been a long time since his father had played with him. Mother had said that it had been five weeks since Father had started his potion brewing, and he was too busy to play with him. Scorpius had been told over and over that he just had to wait his turn. He was tired of waiting though.

* / *

A tap on the window made Scorpius bolt up from his sleep. His heart thudded wildly against his chest as he looked around the window, seeking for whatever the cause of the noise had been, but he saw nothing. After several minutes of silence, he took a deep breath and lay back down, turning his back on the window.

"Wake up," a child's voice whispered as soon as Scorpius shut his eyes again. The boy sat back up in his bed, giving his large room another look over. Something jumped up right at his bedside making Scorpius screech. He scrambled away, rolling off the bed.

A blonde haired girl about his own age giggled and climbed onto the bed to crawl toward him, stopping at the edge. She was dressed in a frilly olive green dress with white polka dots. "You're silly!" She said. "You certainly can't be afraid of _me_?!"

Scorpius scoffed."No!" He untangled himself from his blanket that had wrapped around him. "I'm not afraid of _girl_!" He said, standing up. "How did you get in here anyway?"

The girl rolled over onto her back, all the while keeping her eyes on him. "I was here already. Before you even," she answered.

"Before me?!" He demanded. "This is my house! And my room!"

"My name is Lacerta, but I already know your name, Scorpius," she introduced herself with a smile, ignoring his outburst.

"How?" He asked suspiciously.

"Oh, I know lots about you. And about Draco."

"Who are you...?"

"I told you already." Lacerta rolled her eyes. She then spun off the bed and hurried to the door. "Come on! I want to show you something!" She set her hand on the doorknob, pausing with opening it to look at Scorpius, who had made no move to follow. "Well?"

"I'm not supposed to wander out of my room at night," he informed her quietly.

"Why not?" She then gasped. "Do you think there are _ghosts _that haunt this floor?!"

"_Ghosts_?!" Scorpius whispered in a terror.

She laughed. "I was only playing, there are no ghosts here!"

The boy let out a small sigh in relief. "Good."

"Do you want your father to play with you?"

Scorpius nodded eagerly. "Yes! He promised to teach me some Quidditch moves, but he has no time anymore..."

"I can fix that, but you have to help me, okay?"

"Alright..." Scorpius slowly agreed and joined her side.

"You have to be _very _quiet," she whispered seriously after opening the door. "Come on!" She gestured him to follow her.

"What about the elves?" Scorpius suddenly asked, freezing up in fear of getting caught out of bed. He'd surely get into a lot of trouble if Mother found out that he was not where he was supposed to be!

"Stop worrying," Lacerta said gently. "The elves are clear on the other side of the Manor." She then began leading the way, tiptoeing three floors down, and stopping at the lowest floor.

Scorpius gasped. "We can't go in there!" He squeaked. "That's my father's Potions lab! He'll skin me a new one if I go in there!"

Lacerta rolled her eyes. "What are you; a ninny?!" She demanded, slipping into the room. "Come on, you'll thank me later."

Scorpius puckered out his lips and folded his arms. He sent the girl's back a glare, momentarily insulted by what she had said to him.

"Do you want to learn those Quiddich moves or not?" She asked impatiently after noticing that he had remained on the outside of his father's Potion lab.

Scorpius didn't need anymore encouragement. He stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind him. "What do we do?"

Lacerta pointed to a long table. Things were scattered around it, and, in the middle, sat a bubbling potion. The girl walked to it and peered into the brew. She sniffed it and wrinkled her nose. "What's it smell like?"

Scorpius, who had followed closely behind her, leaned forward and took a quick whiff. He shrugged. "I don't know... Sort of... like lettuce?"

Lacerta nodded. "I was thinking that too." She turned around to the shelf behind them, her eyes settling instantly on a specific location. Her lips spread out into a grin. She took a wand out from the front of her dress. "Don't tell," she said in with mischievous whisper.

"You're not sup-"

She rolled her eyes. "Are you a goody two shoes too?!" Wordlessly, she summoned two very dusty jars from the top shelf. "Your Father's been working hard on something, let's give him a bit of help," she said, placing one jar on the table, and struggling with opening the other.

"I don't know how though..." Scorpius admitted quietly.

Lacerta grunted, growing frustrated with the lid that wouldn't come off. "But I know how," she reassured him. She set the unopened jar on the table. "See if you can open it! It's too tight for me!" She pouted. Scorpius took the jar and popped the lid off quite easily. He smirked at her, making her roll her eyes. "Okay, Mr. Strongman, measure out a cup of that liquid and pour it into the potion," she ordered, pointing to a liquid measuring cup that was already on the table, ready to be used.

Scorpius wrinkled his nose at the colour of the liquid as he tipped the jar, measuring out a cup of it. "What is it?" He asked, pinching his nose from the sour, gross smell.

"Rancid Lizards Juice," Lacerta answered. "It's hardly used in potions anymore." She shrugged. "I'm not sure why though, since it's a great ingredient! It makes the effects of potions last longer! Pour it in," the girl reminded him.

"It smells horrid!" He shrieked, once he had done as she said.

"Don't most rancid things?" She replied cheekily. "You might as well open the other jar."

Scorpius tilted his head warily, eyeing it. "It's not going to smell bad like the last one, is it?" He asked weakly.

"No. I promise."

Scorpius opened the jar and peered into it. "Hair?" He questioned, eyeing the near white, blonde hair.

"Yes! It's the most important ingredient!"

With her instructions, Scorpius took an empty vial from a case that sat on the table, filling it up with the potion. He then removed a piece of hair from the jar and dropped it into the potion. It instantly turned a dark shade of green, matching Lacerta's dress. White solid looking pieces of cubes formed, bouncing along as the potion burbled. "Now what?" He asked.

"Now you drink it," Lacerta said, her green eyes shining with excitement.

"Dr-Drink?" Scorpius suddenly gulped._ The potion doesn't look very tasty..._

"Isn't that what you do with most potions, Scorpius?" The girl asked, taking a ladle, and stirring the brew. "Don't you _want_ to help your father succeed so he can play with you?"

Scorpius nodded and took a huge breath before he drank the potion in two gulps. He shuddered. "It's... cold..." he informed her, slightly startled by the icy temperature.

Lacerta nodded simply. "I figured it would be."

Scorpius stomach started twisting and turning after that, and he felt like he was going to be sick. He bent over to throw up, but nothing came out. When his stomach settled back to normal, he noticed that his hair had grown longer. He stood back up, grabbing at a handful of it in confusion.

"What did it taste like?" Lacerta asked eagerly.

"Um, like very nasty vegetables with a sugar icing."

Lacerta nodded. "That's probably the sugar cubes. Come along!" She skipped to the door, opening it. "Let's get you back to bed before you get into trouble."

"Sugar cubes?" Scorpius questioned as he followed her out. "We didn't put any sugar cubes in the potion."

Lacerta grinned. "No, Scorpius, we certainly did not!"

* / *

"Scorpius!" Mother called for him from his doorway. "Time to get up, dear! Breakfast will be ready in four minutes."

"Yes, Mother," he replied, sitting up and stretching.

Mother gasped. "What on Earth happened to your hair, son?! And... your eyes...your lips..." she trailed off, her mouth stuck in an open gap. She walked to him, inspecting the boy with her eyes alone. "Draco!" She shrieked. "Draco! Get in here! Hurry!"

* / *

"How much did you take?!" Father demanded, his grey eyes wide with worry. "It's important that you remember, Scorpius!"

"Only a vial!" Scorpius replied with a quivering bottom lip. "She said it would help you. I only wanted to play-"

"_She_?!" Mother interrupted.

"Who is 'she', Scorpius?!"

"That girl that was in my room... Lacerta..."

"Girl?"

"Room?!" Father spun on his heel, leading the tiny family up to Scorpius' bedroom.

"Right there." Scorpius pointed to Lacerta. The blond girl sat on Scorpius' desk, slightly kicking at the face of it, creating a faint thudding sound each time her heels met the wood surface.

"Did you finally notice?" She asked with a giggle. "_Ooooh_!" She jumped off the desk and neared him. "Your lips are _purple_! That's probably why they don't use Rancid Lizard Juice in potions anymore!" She smacked her forehead. "Now, I remember! I had forgot all about that!"

"You made me look like a freaky girl!" Scorpius snapped, glaring at her. "And now I'm in trouble for it!"

Mother and Father were exchanging confused looks. "Scorpius..." Father started slowly.

"She said it would help you, Father!" Scorpius insisted. "I just wanted to help you with your work. That's all!"

"There's no one there, son..."

* / *

"Why can't they see you?" Scorpius asked that night after he had gotten back from Saint Mungo's to get his body back to normal. Thankfully, he hadn't gotten into too much trouble for messing up his father's potion. Father said he would be able to fix it now that he knew what Scorpius had done to it. Besides, his parents were currently more worried about him seeing someone that they couldn't.

Lacerta only shrugged.

"Are you a ghost?"

"No, I'm not dead... Just... invisible." She lowered her head to hide her face.

"How, and where are your parents?"

"They are dead, and have been for lots of years, Scorpius. I've been a member of this Manor for nearly 200 years."

"And no one but me has been able to see you?"

"I think it's a curse, created on a backfiring spell that my stepmother had made. You see, my stepmother didn't like me, as my father paid attention more to me than her. So she wanted to fix that, by secretly killing me, but instead of dying, I just kind of... vanished from sight... and everyone thought I was dead. When my eight year old half brother finally seen me three years later, we played together..." Lacerta went quiet, a tear slid down her face. She quickly wiped it away. "They thought that he had gone mad, because he could see me, and no one else could." She then lowered her voice down to a whisper, "On his eleventh birthday, he couldn't see me anymore... It's like that with all the kids that live here... When they all turn eleven, they can't see me. Then, they forget about me. When that happens, I spend most of my days in the Potions lab, because my Mother and Father were once grand Potion makers and it was my dream to follow in their footsteps."

"You're last name is Malfoy then?"

Lacerta nodded with a sniff. "I didn't even get to go to Hogwarts..."

"I'll never forget you," Scorpius promised, "and you can come with me when I go to Hogwarts."

She smiled sadly, staring at the lit fireplace in Scorpius' room. "That's nice of you to care, Scorpius, but you'll forget me when the time comes; just like all the others have."

Scorpius chewed on the inside of his lip. "Well, then, Lacerta, let's make this the happiest few months of your life!"

* / *

_A new blanket of snow had fallen on the surrounding ground, sparkling like tiny diamonds. Tiny snowflakes were falling, sprinkling down from some magical world high up above._

_Two children laughed as they tried making the perfect pair of snow angels. Only one could be heard by the couple who sipped their cocoa, watching their son enjoy what little time he had left of his childhood._


	9. Why Draco Doesn't Eat Many Sweets

**Round 7;**

**Team:** _The BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:**_ Chaser 3  
_

**Main Prompt** -_ Potions Class; Skel-Gro**  
**_

**-Additional Prompts**

_None_

**Story Title:**_ Why Draco Doesn't Eat Many Sweets  
_

**Summary:** _While Narcissa is away, Lucius has to look after little Draco. **No warnings necessary.**_

* * *

Draco's little fist clung onto his mother's dress. "I want to go with you, Mother!" He wailed.

"Now, remember what I said, my little boy," Narcissa gently said as she unhooked Draco's fingers from her clothing. "I'll only be gone for two days, and your father has promised me that you'll have so much fun, that you won't even notice I'm gone!"

"No, but Father will make me play with Kippy! And I don't want to play with her!"

"Would you rather play by yourself?"

"No," Draco pouted. "I want you to play with me, Mother!"

Narcissa bent down to kiss the five year old on the top of his head. "But I can't, little prince. My Mother is sick and I need to see her." She wiped the moisture that had built up in her eyes, both sad about her dying mother and for having to leave the boy for the first time since she had given birth to him.

"No, but Mother...!" Draco cried, spilling out real tears.

"That's quite enough, Draco," Lucius coldly drawled behind him.

Draco instantly went still and watched his mother approach his father to kiss him on the cheek. Lucius took her hand and delicately kissed it. "You will be missed," he purred.

Narcissa smiled. "And I will miss you too, my love." She sighed, giving Draco a look of concern. "Just try to keep him out of trouble."

"I'll see to it," Lucius sent Draco a stern look. "His happiness is important to me as it is to you, Narci."

She pursed her lips and let out a doubtful hum. "You have a hard time showing it, Lucius. You can't treat him like a burden. He adores you-"

Lucius put a finger up to her lips to quiet her. "He will be fine," he told her in a gentle tone that he rarely used even with her. "Go say goodbye to your mother, dear. Draco will be a well behaved boy, won't you, son?" He addressed the boy, promptly expecting a response.

"Yes, Father," Draco acknowledged glumly.

"Try and do _something _with him," Narcissa pleaded. "Don't make the elves have to tend to his every need. He does need some human companionship."

"Alright, alright!" Lucius scowled impatiently. "I'll take him with me when I go to run my errand."

"And keep an eye on him. He gets easily distracted."

"Yes, dear," Lucius said automatically.

Narcissa gave them each one more kiss before she went on her way. Draco stared at the location his mother disappeared from. His lip quivered.

"Come, son, I've got things to do," Lucius' impatient order poked into Draco's head. "And don't lag behind, I've no time for you to diddle."

"Yes, sir." Draco quickly followed him into the Floo. Father didn't even hold his hand. "Mother always holds my hand," he said to his father when they stepped into the house that they had flooed to.

"You don't need me to hold your hand, you're capable of walking on you own two feet, Draco."

Draco crossed his arms in a pout, but followed his father out into the streets of Diagon Alley. His Mother didn't bring him here often because it was dangerous, but the passing people, and the different shops sent his eyes wandering around in curiosity.

Lucius rolled his eyes and frustratingly stopped for his son to catch up. "Draco," he snarled. "I said to keep up!"

With Lucius' long legs, Draco pretty much had to sprint to prevent him from lagging back too far behind. He started huffing from the activity. "Father! My breath is tired!" He called after the man. Lucius slowed down some, but was determined to get to the Potion shop before it shut down for the Easter Holiday that was approaching.

Draco's eyes caught something in a shop window. He halted abruptly, staring at the fluttering Snitch poised just right to catch the attention of potential customers. Then he hurried to the window, pressing his hands against it, admiring the toy. There was another boy his own age who looked longingly at a broom. He looked like he had gotten stuck inside a candy shop and had to eat his way out of it.

"Grandmother," the boy tugged at a woman's coat. "Can't I have a broom, please?"

The woman laughed, "So you can break your neck?! No, Neville, sweety, you can't even walk a straight line without tripping over your own feet!"

"I'm going to get that broom," Draco said smugly to the boy who looked sad. "And the new Snitch too," he added for good measure. "My father's going to buy it for me."

"Well, good for you!" The woman told Draco rather haughty, before leading the Neville boy away.

"Draco!" Lucius gasped, snatching a hold of the boy's shirt, and pulling him to him. "You shouldn't wander! Good heavens!" His eyes were wide. Draco had never seen his father scared before.

"I was- I was looking at the Snitch!" Draco quickly explained himself. "And there was this boy, his Grandmother wouldn't let him have a broom, and I told him that you'd buy me one, and the Snitch too!"

Lucius' eyes flickered over to the Snitch in the window. "Is that what you want? Will you be happy with it?"

Draco nodded. "You must buy it for me, Father. Mother would get it for me. She always let's me have the best things, and I love her very much!"

Lucius sighed. "After we get back from the Apothecary Shop, we'll get it." He took the boy's hand this time, making Draco smile.

Once inside the Apothecary shop, Draco admired all the jars of stuff that Father said was used for potion making. "I'm here for Snape's order," Lucius informed the shop keep.

Draco tapped at a jar of eyeballs, curious to know what creature they had came from. They were really tiny, but looked like his own; grey coloured and human.

"Don't touch!" His father's voice made Draco jump.

"I wasn't!" Draco insisted, poking out his lip.

"I saw you!" Lucius hissed. "They do not belong to you until you buy them! Until then, you do not touch _anything_! Understand?"

"Yes, Father." Draco nodded.

"Good." Lucius pocketed the small package into his robes. "Come along, son, we'll go get the broom and Snitch you wanted."

Draco excitedly took his father's hand into his and they exited the shop.

"Look Father!" Draco gaped at a girl eating an ice cream cone. "I want one! Get me one!"

"You'll spoil your dinner," Lucius told him, leading the boy away.

"But it's not fair! _She _got one! And why can't I? Mother _always _let's me have an ice cream!"

Lucius inwardly groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, Draco, I'll get you the ice cream. Just be quiet, you're creating a scene."

Throughout the rest of the outing, Draco got an ice cream, a lolly that was the size of his head, and a puff pastry that he just _had _to have. When Lucius bought him the broom and Snitch, Draco let the toy free outside and whined when he had lost track of it. Lucius went back into the store and threatened the teller to get it back. He discovered in order to retrieve it, he had to cast a specific spell that was written on the packaging that the Snitch had been sealed up in.

"I threw that away," Draco informed his father bluntly when Lucius had asked where the Snitch's packaging had gone. "It was rubbish, Father," he added innocently.

So Lucius bought the boy another Snitch. This time he kept hold of it until they returned to the Manor. He gave his son the toy and handed off the packaging to a house elf, instructing her to put it some place 'safe'. Then he sent Kippy (the house elf that looked after Draco) outside with the boy and collapsed into a chair, ordering up a bottle of firewhiskey.

*_ / _*

Draco landed his new broom abruptly, stumbling off it. He held onto his gut and groaned. His stomach hurt really bad!

"Is young Master alright?" Kippy asked, noting the boy's stance.

"I don't feel good!" He wailed. "I want my mother!"

"Stay here, I'll get the Master."

*_ / _*

Lucius' covered a hand over his eyes. "He's fine, Kippy, just make him go lay down. I am sure he's just tired from his exciting day."

"He's holding his gut, sir," Kippy added warily. "And is complaining about a stomach ache."

"You do not know my son like I do," Lucius growled. He gave Kippy a look of warning before the elf nodded in defeat.

"You are right, Master, I'll put him to bed as you have said."

"Smart plan," Lucius snarled, closing his eyes. "But first, get me something for my head. It's killing me!"

*_ / _*

"I don't want peppa tea!" Draco cried from his spot on his bed. He had his arms clenched around his stomach. "I want Mother's potion!"

"Master says you are not sick, Kippy says peppermint tea will make you feel better," Kippy held it out to the boy.

"No!" Draco screamed. "I want Mother's potion!" He smacked the cup away, making the house elf scream in pain from the hot fluid. Kippy disapparated to tend to her wounds.

Draco whimpered in pain, not having had realized what he had done. He bent over and threw up, making a mess.

He hurried into his parents' room and into their enormous bathroom. His eyes set on the cupboard high out of his reach. Mother's potion was in there.

Frantically, he scuttled back into the bedroom and pushed a chair into the bathroom so he could use it as a step. He climbed onto the chair and opened the cabinet, winkling his nose from the horrid smell. His eyes scanned the different bottles. He didn't know which one Mother's potion was in. He couldn't remember, only that it was grey coloured.

He grabbed a potion that was stored in a grey container and took a sniff of it. This wasn't Mother's potion because this didn't smell like it. His eyes then found on an interesting bottle that looked like a human skeleton. The stomach ache was suddenly forgotten as he reached for the wicked looking bottle. He wondered what this would do. Could it turn you into a skeleton? Oh, he could really scare Pansy with it.

With a smirk, Draco twisted the lid off the potion and quickly drank some. He felt the burn after three gulps and screamed out in pain. He doubled over, toppling off the chair. The boy coughed from the burn of his throat, and had difficulties in breathing. His arms and legs then started hurting really bad, making him burst out crying.

"Mother!" He wailed, forgetting that she wasn't around. "Mother, help me!"

Lucius' own personal elf apparated to Draco when he heard the young child screaming. "Young Master!" Wally gasped in shock. He saw the spilled potion and went to alert his Master.

*_ / _*

"_RELAX_?!"Lucius snarled at the Healer who was one of the unfortunate ones having to treat the Malfoy heir. The boy was bad enough, but the monarch was definitely worse. "My son's grown two feet in the past _hour_! If you don't fix this, I'll see that your license is pulled!"

The young woman winced at the threat. "No need to worry, Mr. Malfoy. Your son is in no danger at all."

"Father!" Draco wailed out in pain. "They won't stop touching me!"

"_Must _you touch him?!" Lucius asked the Healers who were poking the boy with their wands and muttering incantations.

"If you want him healed," one replied simply, not at all fearful of Lucius' previous threats. He lowered his wand, looking seriously at the blonde man. "I can stop right now if you want. Would you like to see how big he can get by tomorrow? I am sure your wife would love to have a half-giant for a son."

Lucius swallowed uncomfortably. "Do what you need to do," he muttered quickly.

The Healer nodded. "I figured as much," he said and returned his attention to the fussing boy.

Three hours later, Draco was his normal size again. "They weren't nice to me," Draco told his father. "They made me hold very still, and I didn't want to! They froze me up with a spell! That was very mean, Father!"

"You'll be fine, son," Lucius told him. "Understand me when I say that your mother must never hear about this."

"Why not?"

"She will be very angry with you for getting into her supply of potions."

"Alright," Draco said distractedly. He stopped to look at a red headed boy who was petting a large rat. "Father! I want one of those!"

"I am not going to buy a you a rodent, son," Lucius said, snatching Draco's hand.

"But _he _gets one!"

"How about an owl?" Lucius reasoned. "An owl is much more suitable for you, my son."

"Can it be just like yours?" Draco asked with shining eyes.

"If that is what you want."

"Good," the boy said excitedly. "I'll call it Earl Jr Jr!"

Lucius chuckled. "After my own Earl Jr.?"

"Yes, just after your own owl, Father," Draco said with a pleased smile.


	10. The Last Word

**Round 8;**

**Team:** _The BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:**_ Beater 2  
_

**Main Prompt** -_ Hugo Weasley**  
**_

**-Additional Prompts**

5.(word) stubborn  
15.(creature) owl

Plus _Drabble Club Prompt_ from **Hogwarts Houses Challenges forum**

_Dialogue: "Bloody first years, they're a menace."_

**Story Title:**_ Last Words  
_

**Summary:**_ First years, Hugo and Lily meet a couple of older boys on The Hogwarts Express. **No Warnings Necessary. Family.**_**  
**

* * *

He swished it and he flicked it, yet none of that seemed to want to work. His wand was being completely stubborn, refusing to work _with _him. Why did this hunk of _junk _even pick him if it didn't want to cooperate?! Hugo grunted in frustration. He sought the book in his lap that sat halfway open for assistance, but it was nothing that he hadn't already read. He clenched his jaw, shutting the book up with a huff.

His cousin, Lily, took his hand and gently squeezed it. She may as well have been his sister with how close they were, having only been born two weeks apart. Especially since they were the youngest of both their families, and were often treated like it, each able to relate to the position, and neither could help but to not quite like it a lot of times. They were always treated like babies. It had taken _forever _for Hugo's parents to realize that he could handle a baby owl, a creature Hugo had wanted since he was six. He had been extremely grateful when he had been finally allowed to buy one as his Hogwarts companion.

"You'll get it," Lily assured him gently. She had been quiet up until that point, knowing how Hugo felt about being disturbed when he was in 'the zone'.

"It's the _one _thing that I would like to do before I step foot into Hogwarts! Everyone else knows how! I don't want to be the _only _kid who can't do it!"

"Oh, now that's not true," she said with a thoughtful frown. "Lots of kids don't know how to change the colours of an object."

"Don't you _dare _mention the muggleborns! You know exactly what I mean!" Hugo narrowed her eyes in determination. _'I will change Ferny's feathers blue,'_ he thought to himself._ 'I _will do it!' He didn't want to be the only Weasley kid who couldn't cast the colour changing spell. Now that Lily could do it, he just _had _to do it too!

"Who cares if you can't do the stupid Charm spell right away." Lily shrugged. "It's not important. _You _are closer to changing a match into a needle than I am. _That _is a hard." She leaned across the table to search through her bag for a pouch of Razzy Dazzies (her absolute favourite candies in the world) and ripped it open. "Want some?" Lily offered him the Muggle treat.

Hugo absentmindedly shook his head, concentrating on his spell casting. The door to the compartment that they were in slid open, breaking off any sort of muse he had going on. Two boys, who looked about to enter their fourth year, stepped in, and took seats across from Lily and Hugo.

"Those spots are saved for my brother and cousin," Lily informed gently.

In sequence, the boys exchanged grins and leaned back into their seats, planting their feet up onto the table that separated them from Hugo and Lily.

"Not anymore, red," one answered, pushing Lily's bag off the table with a foot. The other eyed Hugo's owl with interest, making Hugo forget about his spell casting for the time being.

"What?" Hugo asked. He had a difficult time in keeping his voice calm, as he didn't like the way the boy stared at his owl.

"Pretty owl you got there," the boy said. "Bit scrawny though, hmm? Don't you ever feed it?"

"Of course he does!" Lily said indignantly.

"It's still just a baby," Hugo answered coolly, narrowing his eyes.. "You'd know that by the way her feathers look. But you're not quite the expert, are you?"

"My family raises owls," the boy defended himself with a scoff. "I knew she was a baby, I was only testing you!"

Hugo nodded slowly, biting his tongue and holding back a retort. He certainly didn't need to get into trouble before they even made it to Hogwarts.

Lily was glaring at the unfriendly boys. "My brother will be here any minute," she told them. "They are going to sit with us."

"Then you'll have to move, won't you?" The one who had dumped her bag sneered back.

"Yeah, cause we're staying," the other said, putting his feet down onto the floor of the compartment and leaning forward to jab his finger into Ferny's cage.

Hugo snatched Ferny's cage up from the table, setting it into his lap. "I'd prefer you not to do that, thank you," his tone now one step from a growl.

"You must be first years," the boy spoke with a scoff. "You have no clue who we are, do you?"

"We don't really care," Hugo said bluntly.

"Who are you?" Lily asked curiously.

"Don't humour them," Hugo told Lily. "They don't deserve your attention. Come on," he gestured for her to get up, doing it himself. "Let's go find Al."

The boys rose and the one that had teased Hugo pushed him back into his seat, making Ferny's cage crash against the wall. The poor creature squawked in fear, smashing against the cage in an effort to fly out of it.

"Hey!" Hugo snarled, snapping back up to confront the jerk, only to be pushed back down.

"You leave my cousin alone!" Lily shrieked.

"You can sit down too, red!" The other boy pushed Lily down. "We haven't properly introduced ourselves," he went on, as they towered above Hugo and Lily. "I'm Jared, and this Edison. You'll learn quickly that it would be in your best interest to respect your authority."

"Authority?!" Lily wrinkled her nose. "What are you; fourth years?"

"Third," Edison answered, balling up his fist in a threat. "And you don't want us as your enemies."

"Just let us go," Hugo spoke up. "If you're lucky, I won't mention this to her brothers," he nudged his head toward Lily. "Nor any of our cousins."

The older boys laughed. "You are funny, boy," Jared said. "What's your name?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Hugo told him, attempting to stand again.

"I said to sit!" Edison pushed him back. "You won't like it if you stand up again!"

Hugo pressed his lips together, about to lose his patience with these two. He gripped his wand, glaring daggers at Edison.

"You want to duel with me, kid?" Edison laughed. He nudged Jared. "The little firsty thinks he can duel me!"

Jared chuckled. "There will be plenty of time for that, mate," he told his friend, snatching Lily's pouch of candies from her hand.

"Give that back!" She leaped from her seat, and grabbed a hold of the pouch.

"Did I say you can get up, red?!" Jared jerked the candy pouch from her and easily knocked her back down. He smirked, popping one of the fruit shaped candies into his mouth. "These are pretty good," he complimented. "Have any more?" He took his wand out and cast the levitation spell to send Lily's bag to him.

"That's mine!" Lily shrieked, taking her wand from the place it sat next to her.

"What ya going do with the wand, red?" Jared didn't even look at Lily, too busy rummaging through her bag. "You're just a firsty. You'd be lucky if you can tickle me with it!"

Hugo hid a smirk. Lily was going to get a public reputation for herself before they even officially made it to Hogwarts. Everyone in their family didn't really mess with her. Being the littlest didn't always mean that you were the weakest.

"Let us go, and you won't have to find out," Lily told him, her voice a bit shaken.

"I'm not going to raise my wand to you, so put yours away, or I'll take it from you."

"Do you even think it's wise to have a first year raise a wand up to you to begin with?" Hugo asked slowly. "Think of the things she may _try _to cast and what might happen as an outcome."

"Shut it!" Edison snarled, showing Hugo his fist.

"Go ahead and hit me!" The red headed boy dared. "You're only proving that the both of you are cowards; Picking on two smaller kids!"

Jared rolled his eyes, tossing Lily's bag in between Hugo and Lily, tucking a collection of candy into his pockets. "Bloody first years, they're a menace!" He sighed mockingly. "Shall we show our superiority to them?" He asked Edison with a glint into his eye.

"Oh, we shall!" Edison said excitedly. Both boys pointed their wands to Hugo. The young boy closed his eyes, preparing for the worst, but his cousin cried out a spell, and Hugo let out a sigh of relief.

"Give us our wands back, red!" Jared demanded.

"How did she do that?!" Edison gaped at Lily who was now standing with her wand pointed at Jared, holding both their wands in her other hand.

"We're going to walk out that door-" Lily was interrupted as Jared launched at her, underestimating her. "_Stupify!_" Jared went limp and fell backward. Edison's lip began to tremble. He raised his hands up into the air in surrender.

"Do you have a problem with us leaving _now_?" Hugo asked cockily, gathering up his and Lily's items.

"N-No!" Edison stuttered.

"Good," Hugo said approvingly. "Let's go," he said, gesturing Lily out of the compartment.

"_Fuchsia_," Lily muttered under her breath.

Hugo rolled his eyes, but couldn't help laughing. Lily always had to have the last word. And this was one time that he could really appreciate it. Jared and Edison's pink hair would last _quite _a while.

"Don't worry, _mates_," Hugo taunted, dipping his head back into the compartment. "You can always tell everyone that you're Metamorphmagi!"

_Okay, so maybe he had to have the last word too._

"Sorry, we're late," Rose's voice came up behind them. Lily and Hugo turned to see her, Scorpius, and Albus approaching them. "Thought you were going to save us a compartment?" She asked with a puzzled look.

"I think they had a bit of a problem." Scorpius tossed his head to the side, and they all looked into the compartment that Hugo and Lily had just left.

"The Sempter brothers," Albus muttered. "Did they give you any trouble?!" He asked Lily. "Because if they did-"

"They'll be fine," Hugo interrupted his cousin. "I think they now know that it's unwise to mess with Lily Luna Potter."

The group exchanged a few smirks before bursting out into hearty snickers at the Sempters' pink hair.


	11. Two Monsters and a Mother

**Round 10;**

**Team:**_ BallyCastle Bats_

**Position:** _Beater 2_

**Main Prompt:** _An interspecies relationship_

**-Additional Prompts:**

_4\. (word) careless_

_9\. (word) practically_

_11\. (myth) carrots help you see in the dark_

**Also written for "Let Your OCs Run Free!" Challenge at_ Hogwarts House Challenges_.**

**Main Prompt: **_OC has to be a magical creature._

**-Additional Prompts:**

_(Song) 'Say something' by A Great Big World,_

_(Word) exuberant(filled with or characterized by a lively energy and excitement),_

_(Restriction) First Person Narration,_

_(Sentence) It was nothing more than a dream._

**Title:_ Two Monsters and a Mother_**

**Summary: **_Lucy Weasley meets the guy of her dreams, who ends up breaking her heart.** !Creaturefic** (obviously...) **RATED T for mild Adult Situations**_

_**Thank you to both**_ thosedarndursleys **and **RedButterfly33 **for betaing!** :)

* * *

_"I have never seen someone so beautiful before," he whispered against my lips._

_I giggled. "Come now, you've already gotten my clothes off. You don't need to butter me up anymore."_

_His eyes bore into mine as if he could not look away. I had a hard time looking away too, admiring how enchanting his were._

_"I don't want you to leave." He was still whispering even though he didn't have to; we were alone on the beach front as I had somehow I managed to escape the presence of my large family. "Please don't go, Lucy."_

_I frowned. "I can't... I still have to finish school..."_

_"Will you ever come back?"_

_"We come here every year, Bote," I informed him, using his nickname and began kissing his bare chest. "It's tradition for the Weasleys to spend two weeks out of the summer here."_

_Boto tilted my chin upward and pressed his lips to mine. He smiled happily. "Good, then I will wait here for you," he said determinedly._

_"Boto, you don't— "_

_He interrupted me with a kiss. "I want to, Lucy. I want you. I need you. I love you. Will you come back for me?"_

_My stomach leaped up into my chest at his words. I couldn't believe what he was saying! He had feelings for me? The hottest guy alive had feelings for _me_?!_

_I nodded an answer once I had regathered my senses. "Of course I'll come back for you."_

I looked longingly out toward the ocean. The sun was setting, mirroring its scene on the glassy surface of the water off in the distance.

"Ma?" a tiny voice invaded my thoughts.

_'It was nothing more than a dream.' _I told myself. I hadn't seen him since that lovely summer night._ 'I've been so ruddy foolish to believe that he would eventually return after all this time.'_

"Say something!" the voice demanded. "Mama!"

_'And I was careless...'_

My eyes refocused back into the present and I blinked back tears, smiling down at the six-year-old boy. "What is it, honey bear?" I asked, brushing back the overgrown bangs of his golden blond hair.

His slate grey eyes were wide in wonder. "Is what Georgie said true?"

"Is what true?"

"She said that if I ate a lot of carrots I'd be able to see everything in the dark; like night vision!" He was giddy over the thought.

My smile momentarily widened at his hopeful look. "Joshua," I started softly. "Carrots help your eyes see better."

"In the dark?" the boy pressed.

I pursed my lips. I should have known I'd not be able get out of this so easily. "Not carrots alone, honey bear," I told him regretfully, not wanting to disappoint him.

Josh sighed. "That's what I thought too," he mumbled and kicked a bit of sand at his feet.

"But there are potions that do it," I quickly added to brighten up my son's mood.

"Really?" His excitement returned as if I had flipped a switch.

I laughed and put an arm around his shoulders, hugging him close to me. "Yep, and I'll show it to you when we get home!"

Using both of his arms, Joshua hugged me back. "Ma?"

"Hmm?"

"You're the bestest."

"No, you're the bestest!"

* / *

"Ma!" Joshua exuberantly called from the water, interrupting my conversation with my best friend, Lorcan.

"Aunt Lucy!" Fred's five-year-old daughter, Georgie, also attempted to get my attention.

"Yes?"

"Look what I can do!"

"Watch him!" Georgie squealed, bobbing up and down in the water. "Everybody, watch Joshua!"

"Okay, we're watching," Uncle Harry ensured the kids. "Show us, Joshua."

My son closed his eyes and pinched his nose to keep the water from going up it. With a huge splash, he dove underwater, disappearing from sight.

"He can swim real well, huh?" Lorcan commented.

I nodded. "He's improved dramatically over the past three years. I swear he can out swim the fish!"

My mother laughed. "He's always loved the water. We have to practically drag him out of it when it's time to come inside."

"Yeah, he'd spend all his free time in a body of water if I allowed him!" I said with a laugh. "Bath time is seriously no problem with him!"

"Everyone out of the water!" Aunt Hermione suddenly screeched, reaching for her wand and bolting up from her lounge chair. "Ron!"

I saw what had caused her to go crazy. Something big and inhuman was circling around Georgie. _How had the creature made it through the protection wards...?_

Chaos erupted as we made a mad dash for the children who were confused by our reaction to the wild beast that had appeared.

"Where's Joshua?!" I shrieked when I noticed that he was not part of the group that we had gathered back onto the shore.

"Out there!" Hugo's little boy pointed out toward the sea.

"Lucy!" I didn't have time to think who had called my name to stop me from searching for my son. I heard a crowd follow closely behind to help.

Everyone was now calling his name.

"Please, Joshua!" I cried. "Where are you?!" I paused to listen, hoping I could hear him answer back. My pulse was pounding harshly in fear.

I didn't hear him.

Then I felt something brush up against my leg. It grabbed my foot, jerking me out to sea. My mouth filled with water, muffling a scream for help. My eyes stung while I tried to see what had grabbed me.

_'The monster...!'_

I kicked at it in an effort to free my leg, but the creature was slippery and my foot could make no solid impact.

The pain in my lungs from lack of air was becoming unbearable and I soon felt my eyes droop even though I was fighting every urge to keep from passing out.

_'Joshua...'_

_'I'm so sorry, honey bear...'_

* / *

I knew whose lips were kissing me without having to see his face. It had been seven years since Boto had kissed me, but he was still able to make me tingle in excitement, sending pleasure to all ends of my body.

Was I in Heaven then? Had I been such a decent person that I could forever live in eternity, making my fantasies a reality? But why wasn't I able to see him? How come I couldn't see anything? I so desperately wanted to see that perfectly muscle-toned body in which was fully tanned in just the right shade.

I soon had a sudden feeling of not being able to breathe, knocking me out of my day dreaming of Boto. The burning of my lungs and throat as I choked and gasped for air made me realize that I was not dead. With deep breaths, I attempted to clear my lungs from the salt water that had filled them up.

_'It is a true miracle I am not dead...'_

"I apologize. I did not mean to scare you."

My head snapped up to the sound of his voice. He sat on his knees next to me, dressed only in a pair of aqua blue swim shorts. I suppressed the need to jump into his arms and kiss him. I was not going to give into my body's desire. Instead, I narrowed my eyes and stood up.

"You!" I shrieked accusingly, backing away.

"Wait!" He grabbed at me but I hastily shrugged him off.

"You broke your promise!"

"I'm sorry!" he insisted. "I had to know that the boy was mine first!"

"Joshua...!" I instantly forgot about Boto and scanned my eyes out into the ocean. A sob escaped my mouth.

"He's fine, Lucy."

"Where is he?!" I demanded hoarsely.

"Safe at my place." Boto thumbed behind him, making my eyes set on a huge mansion off in the distance.

I stalked past him and began the long walk to meet up with my son, relief rushing through me.

"Lucy— "

"I don't want to hear it! I just got attacked by some monster and all I want to do right now is see my baby."

Boto hurried to catch up with me. "Is that what you think of dolphins?" he asked quietly.

"Dolphins?!" I glanced out to look at the peaceful looking sea. "_That's_ what that was? I thought it was a shark or something."

"There were two of them."

"Did one attack Joshua too?" I asked with a new wave of fear filling up my body.

Boto chuckled lightly. "No, love, Joshua was one _of_ them!"

I brought myself to an abrupt halt. "What?" I asked in confusion.

"That's how I know he's my son, Lucy..." he said very slowly, avoiding my eyes.

I tilted my head in thought. "My son... can... _shape-shift_?"

Boto nodded, smiling gently. "I'm an encantado. It means that I am part dolphin, and little Joshua has inherited my shape-shifting ability."

"Are you telling me that you're a bloody _fish_?!" A sick feeling crept into my stomach. I had sex with a fish...

...

I. HAD. SEX. WITH. A. FISH...!

_'It was good sex though...'_ the insensible part of my mind pointed it. _'Besides, technically you had sex with half a human... And you love him.'_

_No, I _used_ to love him. He broke my heart and made me cry._

"Well... I'm only half a fish..." he spoke up, cutting into my arguing with my myself. Boto sounded severely hurt, making me feel a little horrid for my outburst, but it wasn't enough for me to apologize. No, I refused to take blame on anything that had to do with us. It was _he_ that broke his promise, not _me_!

"But, so is he..." he trailed off and turned his head up toward the enormous mansion. "You're not going to hate Joshua because of me, are you? Please don't blame him for my mistakes. I'm sorry... I should have told you but I was afraid you'd reject me... I just love you so much... I didn't want to hurt you..."

"Yeah, well, you did!" I snarled and resumed my walking.

"Are you going to resent him, Luce?" he asked worriedly.

I whirled around, sending him a glare. "I am not angry at you for being a _fish_ — even though that _is_ awfully weird! I'm upset because you said you loved me! You promised me that we'd grow old together! And you... And you..." I bit my lip to keep from crying. "You hurt me, Bote," I said in a whisper.

"I only wanted to be sure he was mine... I thought that you had changed your mind—"

"Why didn't you just fricken _ask_ me?!"

"I had to wait until I could see it for myself."

"My word means nothing to you?!"

"I knew that if he had the ability I'd have a better chance of you accepting me and my..._condition_..."

I heaved a deep sigh, finally softening my stance. I couldn't really blame him. I'd have probably run off if I had been in his shoes. I knew what it was like to be different; Muggles didn't understand wizards and witches and so we had to constantly tip toe around them.

"Damn it, Boto, I loved you!" I told him hopelessly. "You could have been an alien from Mars and I would have accepted you!"

His lips stretched out into a smile. "Honest?"

"_Yes_," I sighed. "Let's go." I held out my hand to him.

"You're not mad at me anymore?" Boto asked cautiously.

I scoffed. "_Oh_, I'm still _mad_ at you, but it doesn't mean that I don't _forgive_ you."

* * *

**AN: Encantados have been known for kidnapping. Many people are afraid to approach the shore because of this. I've included the "kidnapping" scene so that it would give Boto more depth on how he should act as an E****ncantado ****— though he hadn't planned to keep Lucy against her will. ****When he was "kissing" Lucy after the kidnapping, he was preforming a sort of CPR. She only _thought (_*cough*_, fantasized, _*cough*_)_ she was being kissed. So he's not a perv. :P**


	12. The Curse of Anne Marie Green

_**Round 11;**_

_**Team:**_ _The BallyCastle Bats_

_**Position:**_ _Beater 2_

_**Main Prompt**_ _-**Pick a line from Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody':** So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye_

_**-Additional Prompts**_

_5\. (picture) broken wine glass_

_6\. (word) blink_

_**Story Title:**_ _The Curse of Anne Marie Green_

_**Summary: **__In the 1600s, a Muggleborn issues her revenge on Brutus Malfoy. __**AU! Rated T for humiliation, tragedy and murder.**_

_**Thanks to the wonderful RedButterfly33 for betaing!**_

_**Word Count: 2947 – Whew...!**_

* * *

_A moment of weakness  
That I had to express  
Which I now regret  
And can never forget_

_Loving you was my only crime  
But all you did was treat me like slime  
Well, now it is my turn  
For you have something to learn_

_I am not filthy  
I am not ghastly  
I am a dangerous gale  
I am one that will not fail_

* / *

She was Anne Marie Green, one of the first Muggleborns to have attended Hogwarts and probably one the most powerful witches of her time.

She was born in 1655 and the only one out of eight children to have been born with magic abilities. But this isn't exactly the story of her life. This is the story of her obsession. Her obsession with getting revenge with a wizard: one Brutus Malfoy.

Anne Marie found him to be brilliant and perfect in just about every way. Strong, popular, and aristocratic. He was someone that most girls sought after. And he'd been made the Headboy at Hogwarts, which made him all the more alluring.

The problem was... he'd never accept _her_. Very few wizards would. All of them came from magical parents. None of Anne Marie's family were magical besides herself; no wizard would be interested in her. Even if she was beautiful with her pale blue eyes, dark blonde hair and colourful natural pink lips; Anne Marie's body was near perfect, but looks mattered little in the magical world back in those days. Blood purity and power were more important. Status was most crucial in this society.

Anne Marie was an extraordinary girl, but was often overlooked by her professors and belittled by her peers. This was somewhat because she was introverted, which essentially means that she'd rather be alone than surround herself with a lot of people. Her blood status didn't help this condition of hers. In fact, it may have even contributed to how she acted around people. No one valued her opinion. She was Muggleborn. She was useless.

She spent many hours hiding away, crying her eyes out from all the ridicule. Anne Marie knew she was better than that and she could have shown them differently. Unfortunately, she had thought that proving them wrong wouldn't help matters any. They were stubborn, closed minded people.

Not unlike the Muggles at all. And not unlike her family of Muggles.

Our story begins after Graduation. Everyone was celebrating their success, and, for once in her life, Anne Marie joined in on the party‒ simply because Brutus was attending.

Hogsmeade was crowded with happy graduates, jovially drinking and eating. Anne Marie sat in a corner of the main pub, silently sipping a glass of Pixiewine, pretending to not pay him any attention.

He sat stiffly three tables from her, puffing on a sweet smelling cigar, delicately shuffling a pair of playing cards. He dealt a hand to each of his three friends, focused on a discussion of the next steps they were all going to make in their life.

Brutus wanted to go into journalism. "People need to know the truth about Muggles," he said, causing Anne Marie to stir uncomfortably in her seat.

Anne Marie grabbed her bag off the chair beside her and got up to leave, not interested in hearing the topic go any further. She needed to use the loo anyway.

When she came out of the loo, she glanced in the direction of Brutus' table but was disappointed to see that he was absent from his place. She searched the pub for him, eager to see his handsome face. She frowned.

He was no where in sight.

Slumping her shoulders, Anne Marie turned to go to the pub owner so she could pay for her drink and leave. She crashed into something solid and felt something smack against her hand before hearing a loud shatter. She jumped a mile from the sound and stepped back to see a mess at her feet. Glass was everywhere and there was a puddle of liquid inching its way between two fancy black shoes.

"You clumsy, worthless Mudblood!" a voice snarled. "I won't be paying for that!"

Anne Marie swallowed hard to keep her throat from constricting shut, meeting Brutus' glowing, angry eyes with her own. She completely understood why he was so upset‒ the wine glass that she'd knocked out of his hand had spilled his chosen spirit all over his white dress robes.

"I'm s-so‒"

His hand flew out, snatching at the collar of her robes and jerking her close to him. "Let me guess," he started with a dark sneer, clouding her face with his bitter breath. "You don't have the funds to pay for my dress robes you just trashed?!"

"I-I can fix it!" she squeaked.

"No," he drawled patronizingly. "No, you cannot." He released his grip on her, tossing her harshly to the ground. Her eyes widened as he dramatically lifted up his foot and pressed it down onto her chest, all the while digging out his wand. "Your magic is useless," he told her, pointing the wand at her.

"Please‒"

"How do you expect to pay for your damages?" he demanded.

Anne Marie shook her head. "I d-don't‒"

"Let's see what you have in here!" Brutus snatched at her bag that she held on to.

"No!" She tugged at it in an effort to prevent him from gaining possession of it but he dug his foot deeper into her chest, causing a great deal of pain. With a cry, she loosened her grip enough for him to yank it out of her hands.

"Books." He curled his lips after rummaging through the bag. "You actually think these are going to help you?"

Anne Marie looked away, blinking back tears. She didn't want him to see her cry. She silently prayed that he would overlook one particular book.

A crowd was gathered around them now, curious to know what was going to happen next.

Brutus let out an amused scoff a few moments later, driving Anne Marie's eyes back up to him. She immediately closed them upon realizing that he was thumbing through the book she had hoped he wouldn't focus on.

"So, the Mudblood is in love!" He burst out into cruel laughter. "I didn't know this was even possible!" Several others laughed, as if it was the most funniest thing in the world.

Anne Marie pressed her lips together, nervously waiting to see if he was going to read into it further.

"Listen to this," he addressed the audience. "My heart skips at just the sight of you. I love your pale, honey hair, your glinting grey eyes. And your lips, oh, how I wish I could kiss them!" The crowd shared another laugh.

Anger boiled through Anne Marie. She grasped onto Brutus' ankle, getting his attention.

"Unhand me!" he ordered and shook her off.

"Give me back my book," she growled.

He smirked. "You sound just like a little dog. That's how I always pictured your kind. Except..." He dramatically shut the book with a snap. "Dogs are actually _useful_. You're nothing but the muck I collect on the bottom of my shoes." Then he spat on her. The thick excretion stuck to her face a moment before creeping down her cheek.

"I pity the chap that you wrote about in this little book. How humiliating it would be to know that a dirty, little Mudblood had dirty, little thoughts about you." The crowd agreed with him. He tossed the book back at her, grinning smugly at the attention he was getting.

Anne Marie then felt her robes vanish from her body. She quickly tried to cover herself in shame, but Brutus cast a spell, paralyzing her. He removed his foot from her chest, giving her a look over. "I'd never admire your filthy body, even if you were the last piece of rubbish on Earth, _witch_!" He glanced at the surrounding people, noticing that some were soaking up her near-naked body with looks of interest. "She's a Mudblood!" he reminded them harshly.

"Aye, but she's not a bad sight for‒"

Brutus lifted up a hand to silence him. "Say no more, Potter, or I'll curse your member off!" He shuddered at the thought of Anne Marie being considered "good looking".

"Mudblood, it seems you have bewitched some of my weaker peers with your stolen magic. You'll have to pay for that." He raised his wand up to her, smirking evilly. "Not even your own kind will find you attractive after I'm through with you."

*/*

Brutus paced anxiously, paler than usual. One would have to look closely to see it, but his hands were shaking. He clenched them and then unclutched them. "Are you sure?" he asked the mediwitch next to him. "There's not a thing that I can do to make her feel comfortable?"

The mediwitch shook her head. "She'll be fine. I have got to go back in though." She pointed to the closed door near them. "You will be alright?"

Brutus' hand went up to his chest after hearing another one of his wife's screams of agony. His eyes widened. "Get out of my way!" he snarled, pushing the mediwitch away from the door and opening it.

"No, Mr. Malfoy, you mustn't-"

Brutus went stiff for a moment, taking in the sight of his child-bearing wife, then he fell backwards, hitting the ground hard.

"NAVEL!" the mediwitch called for Brutus' House elf and let the creature deal with the unconscious wizard.

"Help!" Adeline Malfoy gasped from her place at the bed. "It hurts," she cried. She grit her teeth, muffling a scream.

"There, there, Lady Malfoy," the mediwitch said gently and patted Adeline's sweaty forehead with a damp cloth. "The baby will be here shortly."

"Get it out!" Adeline wailed, clutching the mediwitch's wrist in desperation. "Please!"

The mediwitch pried the woman's fingers from her and tapped her hand endearingly. "In due time, Madam." Her disguised eyes shifted to the large stomach near her. She smiled. "The baby will take its first breath soon."

Two hours later, the baby finally came. A son. An _heir_.

Pursing her lips, the mediwitch took the baby into her arms and cleansed it with a spell. "A beautiful heir to thy name, Madam," she announced with forced enthusiasm and held him up for the exhausted young mother to get a look at.

Adeline smiled at the sight of her lively, grunting son. "Thank you," she whispered. "Can I hold‒"

The mediwitch didn't allow her to finish her sentence, sending the woman into a slumber. "No, you cannot," Anne Marie answered bitterly.

*/*

Anne Marie sat on a bench in the back row, staring at the tiny coffin. No tears fell from her own eyes, but the sound of a sniff made her lips twitch.

She was trying not to smile. After all, smiling at an infant's funeral would not look too good for her. Even if she wasn't using her own appearance, she still had to respect the body she borrowed (although it was only a replica of it).

Outwardly, she wore a blank look, but inside, she felt warm; cozy. He was getting what was due to him. He took the only thing she had left (her beauty), and now, slowly, ever so pacefully, she was going to take everything from him.

_And he didn't even know she was doing it._

The smile was just _itching _to spread across her face. She pressed her lips tightly together, sealing them with her teeth.

She was brilliant. Underestimated. A Mudblood Hufflepuff would never be able to pull such a horrible act.

That's how everyone would see it as anyway.

*/*

"How does it feel?" she asked smugly, grinning when he jumped at the sound of her voice.

He staggered some, seemingly drunk. "How did you get in here?!" he demanded, fumbling for his wand.

"Looking for this?" She snapped her fingers and his wand appeared in midair in front of her.

"You are trespassing, Mudblood! I'll have you hung!"

She shrugged. "I've done worse crimes, Brutus."

"Don't you address me by my name!"

"Oh, I forgot." She gave him a mock bow. "My Lord." She giggled.

"Get out of my Manor!"

"Six children... dead." Anne Marie clicked her tongue, pretending to be sympathetic. "Are you feeling like your precious Pureblood name is going to end with you? What is it like to be unable to produce the heir that you must, else you'll lose everything?"

"STOP IT!"

"It has been my intention these past twenty years," she informed him, ignoring his order and tossing his wand to his feet. "You'll have _nothing _when I'm through with you."

"I'll kill you!" Brutus bent down to pick his wand up from the ground, but she was gone by the time he stood back up. Her cackle rang throughout his ears, sending a shiver down his spine.

*/*

Now she could cry. Guilt cramped into her chest. Sobs escaped her covered mouth. What had she done? Brutus was supposed to be the one dead, _not _Adeline...

Not the witch who Anne Marie had grown to secretly admire all these years. Even after all the deaths of her babies, Adeline held hope. She was kind to everyone (including Muggleborns!). She didn't judge anyone from their background or heritage, which had caused plenty of fights between the married couple. But they loved each other just the same‒ as opposite as they were.

Anne Marie scurried into the Malfoy Manor, the place she had been living in under disguise for nearly three decades now. She transfigured herself into her human form, clutching a necklace into her fist, eyeing it deep in thought. The scorpion-shaped gem of it blurred into her mind.

The cry of a baby could be heard in one of the floors above. She made her way to it, finding Brutus in his sitting room with his back turned to her, speaking shakily to his motherless child.

Anne Marie summoned Brutus' wand before announcing her presence. "I'm sorry about your wife," she said seriously with watery eyes.

"You did it to her!" he sobbed in roaring anger, spinning around to address Anne Marie. "This is why we hate your kind! You-You steal our magic and you t-torture us with it! She would not have killed herself if all those other babies hadn't died! She just couldn't live with the thought of losing another!"

"You speak the truth, Brutus. I have wronged her and I'll never forgive myself for it. But I'll never be able to forgive you either."

"I'm thankful that they were able to save her son before he died also!"

Anne Marie nodded in agreement. "He's been cursed though," she told him flatly.

"What do you mean?!"

"He'll only be able to conceive one son..."

Brutus' lips scrunched up in a scowl. "You did this!"

"I... wanted to cause destruction to your name..." She opened the palm of her hand, revealing her one and only treasure. "He'll need this." Anne Marie delicately placed it on a nearby table. "And... it'll be that way until one of your precious heirs gets over his bigotry." She turned away before setting his wand next to the jewelry. "This is one thing that I have done in which I am not sorry for..." She then spoke the following words:

"_I cannot lift the curse,  
perhaps one day your blood will see,  
and maybe it will disperse;  
half and half, fifty, fifty ._

_When only a son decides on his own,  
that we are not as nasty as you say,  
once that child is fully grown,  
lots of sons will be on their way._"

Anne Marie walked to the doorway to make her leave. "I don't know why I love you so, but now I have to let you go. Good bye, Brutus."

*/*

Scorpius closed the diary up when he came upon the last entry of it. "And no one ever heard from Anne Marie Green again."

His seven-year-old daughter looked at him skeptically. "Is that really true, Daddy?" she asked. "Was our family really cursed until Grandmama and Grandpapa married and had you?"

"Course it is!" his five-year-old son, Draco, said.

"Dad would never lie to us," the eldest of the three children spoke up. He smiled and wrapped his ten-year-old arms around his father's neck. "Great story, Dad!"

Scorpius then passed around the pricy amulet that had been a family heirloom for several generations. "This is the necklace she gave him. It's over 300 years old."

*/*

"You told them the story of Anne Marie Green?" Hermione asked her son in disbelief.

Scorpius thumbed his necklace. "The milder version. They aren't going to be scarred for life or anything," he assured her. "They've always been interested in this," he said, jingling it in his hand. Scorpius leaned back into his chair. "Magical bonds are the most interesting types of magic," he said, before absorbing himself into the thought of the strength of Anne Marie Green's curse. "It brought you and Father together, even after the rivalry you two had in your youth."

Hermione stretched her lips into a grin. "Yes," she whispered. "And I am grateful for it everyday."

The elder Draco Malfoy entered the room then. "What are you grateful for?" he asked, kissing his wife on the cheek and sitting down next to her.

"Anne Marie Green's curse," Scorpius informed.

"It's a bond, not a curse," Draco corrected, squeezing Hermione's hand. "It changed from a curse as soon as you were conceived."

"Right." Scorpius nodded before suggesting that they play a game of cards.

* * *

**AN:**

The idea of Anne Marie Green's story came from my WIP novel that bonded Draco and Hermione together. Hermione named their son "Scorpius" because the bond told her to, which was symbolized by a scorpion (Anne Marie's necklace/amulet).

You can read the story under the penname of "StoriesfortheMature", which is rated MATURE for very good reasons. _**Read it at your own risk.**_

_**Poems were written by me.**_


	13. A Cat's Life

_**Round 12;**_

_**Team:**_ _The BallyCastle Bats_

_**Position:**_ _Beater 2_

_**Main Prompt**_ _-_**: Cross your story with a sub category from within Anime, Comics or Plays. **_Comic: Garfield**  
**_

_**-Additional Prompts**_

_6\. (colour) silver_

_7\. (dialogue) "Who the bloody hell is that?"_

_10\. (word) eyelash_

**Quidditch Pitch :**

_(spell) Levicorpus_

**Title: **_A Cat's Life_**  
**

**Summary:**_ Percy's cat, Garfield, makes do what with life tosses at him. _**Rated T**_  
_

* * *

The jungle cat waits patiently for his prey to pass by...

'_Aha!' _I lean forward ever so slightly, watching intently. My mouth begins to drool and my stomach growls ferociously, closely matching a tiger's growl. '_Here comes the pizza guy now!'_ My rump sways back and forth a little as I prepare my attack. My claws slowly extract. I lick my lips, thinking about the yummy goodness I'm about to endear.

And then...

"Bark! Bark! Bark!"

My heart rate doubles as I jump up, startled. My fur stands at end.

'_No!'_

That stupid dog!

'_Odie, no! Don't!'_

Odie excitedly circles around the man. He's too stupid to realize that the man carries my dinner. Instead, the dog requests attention.

Hmm...

'_I can work with this, actually,'_ I think as I reposition myself to pounce. The pizza man coos over the pathetic Odie, who in turn sucks it up.

Stupid fools...

The man with my dinner bends down to pat Odie on the head and I fly out from my hiding spot in the hedge and run, my eyes focused on that square cardboard box. Odie yelps as I surprise him with my quick ninja skills. I snatch the pizza and take off like a rocket, slobbering the whole way.

"Hey!" The pizza man is coming after me, but he has no chance. I have four legs to his two. I crash through the cat door, breathing heavily.

Pounding follows. The door shakes in his rage.

"You have to pay for that!"

I stick my head back out through the cat door, smiling. '_Too slow!'_

The human lunges down at me in his effort of catching me but this cat is too great— I'm already out of sight before his arm slips into the cat door and blindly searches for any part of me. I watch with interest as I scarf the entire pizza in one bite.

'_Mmm. That pizza was just absolutely perfect.'_

Then I snicker and place the empty pizza box in his grasping hand, just to mess with him even more.

I yawn, growing bored of the stupid human who can't figure out that the box is wider than the cat door. With my stomach full, I turn away.

It's time for a nap.

Someone pokes me a little later, waking me. '_Ugh!'_ I slit my open eyes to see Percy tapping his foot, unimpressed.

"Did you eat my pizza, Garfield?" he asks scoldingly.

'_That was yours? My bad.'_ He knows how much I like pizza. He probably should have ordered two— course then I'd have just ate them both, now that I think about it.

"You're supposed to be on a diet! That's what the vet said."

'_Yeah, but Hagrid knows nothing about this kitty.'_ I rest my head back down sleepily.

Percy tosses his hands up in frustration and stalks off.

I wake up the next morning to the doorbell ringing. I groan, covering my head with my blanket. '_Who the bloody hell is that?!' _Do they not know that I'm trying to sleep?!

I hear cheerful whistling approach me and I peek my head out to see Percy passing by, dressed in silver coloured dress robes. I roll my eyes. He's trying to impress another woman. The man has no chance and doesn't know when to give up.

And silver really doesn't match his flaming red hair anyway.

I prop my head up into my paw, interested to see how this is going to fly. Percy always fails miserably at impressing the witches.

The door is opened, revealing pretty, young Luna Lovegood who's holding a panting Odie in her arms. "Found Odie, Percy," she informs softly with a smile.

"Thank you, Luna," Percy says, taking Odie from her and scratching the dog's ears. He brings his face down to Odie's ear, seemingly to kiss him, but I know he's telling Odie that he's a good dog for luring the pretty witch to his home.

"So..." Percy sets an arm up on the doorjamb after setting Odie on the floor at his feet. He gives Luna a grin. "Got any plans tonight?"

Her smile widens a little. "Unfortunately, so. I'm going out with my fiancé tonight."

The smile just washes off Percy's face and I let out a chuckle. "I see," he manages.

"Well, I should go." She thumbs behind her. "Have a good day, Percy."

"You too..." He shuts the door with a distant look on his face.

I make my way over to Percy. '_She's too strange for you anyway, Perce.'_

Odie whines in sympathy and paws at Percy's legs to comfort him.

I start purring and twirl around his legs. '_I know what will make you feel better, Percy.'_ He pets us both, voicing how supportive we are for him. '_You should make me a lasagna__— eating one always makes me feel better after you have a bad day.'_

*/*

I hate Mondays... I have had this feeling all day long that something is going to go wrong. I just can't shake it off.

"Garfield!" Percy comes home, singing out my name.

'_Leave me alone. I'm watching Quidditch! The BallyCastle Bats are on the telly!'_ They always make me feel better.

"Have I got a surprise for you!"

_Surprise...?! _Maybe this day isn't going to be as bad as I thought...!

I leap out of the armchair and hurry to the kitchen, finding Percy removing groceries from a bag. Crisps, biscuits, lasagna! '_Is it my birthday today, Percy?' _I rip open a bag of Doritos and dump the entire bag into my mouth.

"Enjoy that, Garfield. Tomorrow I'm taking you to see the new vet I met in at the market today. She's quite lovely. Extremely smart."

The _vet_!?

I choke so hard, that damp chunks of tortilla shower against Percy's face. He crosses his arms over his chest in annoyance.

I'm _not _sorry about it either.

*/*

"Mr. Weasley, good to see you again." The vet with bushy brown hair smiles at me.

'_No! Stop looking at me like that!_' I struggle to get out of Percy's arms but his hold is firm. '_She's going to take my temperature, Percy! Do you not understand how uncomfortable that is?! Percy?!' _

My pleas are ignored as Percy eagerly follows the beautiful witch into an examination room.

And now I know _exactly _why I'm here.

'_Don't listen to her, Percy, you don't want to starve me! I am your baby, remember? Percy? No don't fall for them angelic, beautiful eyes...! _Percy_!?'_

He makes no motion in turning around, so I do what I have to and dig my claws into his arms. I smirk as he screeches and releases me. I make a run for the door but it's slammed shut before I can get through it. A large cat stands in front of me, grinning.

'_You aren't going anywhere, pretty,' _he purrs.

'_What's wrong with your eyes?' _I ask him, noticing that he's blinking too much. '_This cat's in much more need than I am, Percy.'_ I announce as I am lifted back into Percy's arms and set onto a padded table.

The other cat joins me, still purring.

"Isn't that cute," the vet coos. "Crookshanks is trying to calm Garfield down."

"What a good kitty kitty," Percy says, petting Crookshanks' head. Crookshanks meows friendly and turns back to me.

'_I feel I'll be seeing a lot of you, pretty. That won't be such a bad thing, hmm?'_ He head butts me affectionately and my eyes widen, realizing that he didn't have anything wrong with his eyes. Nothing _physical _anyway.

'_You're batting your eyelashes at _me_?!'_ I squeak out in surprise.

He licks my face. '_Don't fear my Hermione,'_ he tells me, ignoring my question. '_She's well advanced in the skill. You'll really like her.' _He winks an eye and then curls up next to me to clean himself.

"There, done!" the vet announces, petting me just right to make me stretch out. Oh, and how good that feels! She pulls her hand away to stop, but I don't want her to, so I bop her hand with my paw, making her giggle and return to petting me.

'_Oh, yes, don't stop.' _I began purring. '_You know, Crookstinks-'_

'_Crookshanks,'_ he corrects.

'Shanks_, you might be right about this vet.'_

'_I _am _right, pretty. I'm _always _right,'_ Crookshanks says to me. '_Now watch your idiot human fail at getting Hermione to hook up with him.'_

Hermione the Vet is jabbering on about what Percy can do to help my weight loss. He is nodding the whole time she speaks, smiling bashfully. When she pauses from asking him a question, needing a response, Percy clears his throat and babbles something no one can understand.

I roll my eyes. _Choking up already; how typical of him._

Crookshanks laughs. '_Ah, maybe he'll snag her after all.'_

*/*

"What a good doggie!" Hermione coos over Odie who has just fetched her the remote control.

'_Big deal, let me show you have to _use _it.'_ I snatch the remote from Odie's drooling mouth and show her my favourite channel.

'_She doesn't like Quidditch,' _Crookshanks informs me as he licks himself clean. He's sitting at the window. He likes that spot, as he can watch the birds fly around. They fascinate him. I don't know why he doesn't like the telly, but I am happy, because then we're not fighting over what we are going to watch. Not that it matters much; I watch what I want, when I want.

'_You do that much more and you'll lick yourself bald,'_ I tell him dryly.

'_Nonsense,'_ he replies nonchalantly, pausing none. '_You could use a cleaning, though. Would you like my assistance?'_ Crookshanks hops down and swaggers toward me.

'_Keep your tongue to yourself! Don't come near me!_' I dart off the armchair and run out of the living room with him closely behind me. He grabs at my tail, pulling me toward him. '_Let go!'_ I plea.

'_Come on, Garfield,'_ he purrs, pinning me down beneath him. '_You know you like it when I clean you.'_

'_No!'_ I struggle to get out of his grasp and pause in horror when he licks my ear. '_Oh, stop that, Shanks!'_ I groan. '_That's just revolting!'_ I push him off me and hiss at him, baring my claws out in defense.

"Garfield!" Percy suddenly snaps and my ears sink down to the sides of my head. My arm falls down to the ground.

"What happened?!" Hermione asks, joining us in the kitchen.

"I'm sorry," Percy immediately apologizes to her. "Garfield was about to start a catfight."

'_What-'_ My jaw drops. '_No, I was only-'_

"Oh, poor Garfield!" Hermione cries out and approaches me to pick me up. "You don't need to be jealous of Crookshanks and I, we're not here to take Percy away from you!" She scratches my neck, and I can't help but to purr. She really knows how to please a cat.

"Is that what it is?" Percy asks uncertainly.

'_Shut up, Percy.'_ I narrow my eyes at him and he tilts his head in question.

"I believe it is," she tells him, and of course, Percy believes her. But I don't care, as long as she keeps stroking my back.

*/*

"Bark! Bark! Bark!"

'_I can't believe he can do that for two hours straight,'_ Crookshanks says in disbelief, speaking about Odie chasing his tail.

'_Me neither.' _But I don't care what Odie does, as long as he leaves _me _alone. And, of course he doesn't, because Odie can just sense the moment when I'm completely relaxed, soaking up a sunny day, and drinking an ice cold, perfectly sweetened glass of lemonade.

"Arf!"

'_Go away.' _His hot breath hits my face. '_Yuck, Odie! Go back and chase your tail!'_

'_He wants you to throw the stick,' _Crookshanks informs me from his spot at the cool concrete steps.

'_Well, I don't__—'_ I stop myself short, noticing what Odie held in his mouth, eager for me to toss it. '_Odie!' _I gasp. '_Where did you get that?!'_

It was Percy's wand.

Odie doesn't answer me— he's too dumb to understand me, but why should I ruin his fun? At least I couldn't get in trouble for _this _stunt. He's teeth marks would be all over it!

'_Garfield, no!' _Crookshanks shouts at me. It's too late, but it's not like I'd have stopped just because _he _told me to anyway.

Odie races after the wand with Crookshanks closely behind him. It's amusing to watch. Like two Seekers closing in on a Golden Snitch. Odie gets it first and prances off smugly, but when he notices Crookshanks trying to gain control of the wand, he takes off, not wanting to give it up just yet.

'_Odie, let me have it!'_

Odie whines pathetically, zig-zagging out of the cat's way until finally a blue light shoots out of the end of the wand. Odie yelps in shock and my eyes widen as I realize the spell is coming my way. I quickly scramble up to my feet, only I'm not fast enough. The spell jerks me up into the air by one foot, and pulls me up. I'm now hanging upside down by only one foot.

I clench my paws into fists. '_GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!'_

At first they're in utter shock, but it doesn't take long for that to wear off before Odie starts snickering and Crookshanks bursts out into laughter. Both fall to the ground and turn over onto their backs with their paws up in the air.

'_You look so cute when you're mad, pretty!'_

"Garfield!" Percy shouts in anger, upon noticing what has happened.

I palm my forehead. I'm _always _blamed for _everything_.

* * *

****AN: **"Garfield" belongs to Jim Davis. I do not make any sort of profit for having him appear in this story.**

**I did hate this round a lot. Crossovers are not my thing. So I do apologize to the judge for forcing you to read such drivel, lol**


	14. The Start of Something New

_**Round 13;**_

_**Team:**_ _The BallyCastle Bats_

_**Position:**_ _Beater 2_

_**Main Prompt**_ _-_**: _Write about anything you want_**_**  
**_

_**-Additional Prompts**_

_None...  
_

**Summary:**_ Seventeen years later, the world has changed, and it's about to change even more.__  
_

* * *

He let out the breath of air that he had been holding in for a while (it had been long enough to make his chest burn). Folding his hands, he rested his forearms on his knees.

"Well, you're not nervous at all, are you?" Silvia Zabini asked, settling herself next to Scorpius. She was as cool as a cucumber, nothing ever seemed to bother her.

The two had been friends since they were in their nappies, and were hardly inseparable. She was the most carefree person Scorpius had ever known in his short life span. Silvia never worried about what people thought of her, but then again, she never _had _to worry about it.

Which was much different than Scorpius Malfoy had to endear while growing up.

Silvia had straight, black hair, in which she usually wore loose and at shoulder length. She also always wore a hat (even to bed), so today, on their ride to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, she had on a purple bucket hat with a drawstring that hung down to her chest. She'd have to use the one for their school's uniform soon, but until then, she insisted on wearing the one that informed everyone of her craving for individuality.

Right now, Scorpius could quietly thank himself that he had Silvia here with him, because the looks— the _staring _eyes just made him a bit too edgy. He didn't like attention. Especially _negative _attention, and that was _exactly _what he had gotten on his walk to the compartment that he had led Silvia to.

"I _am _a little nervous," he admitted, fishing out a butterbeer from his carry-on bag that his mother had packed for him. He held it out for Silvia as an offering, but she shook her head in refusal.

"You know my bladder's the size of a pea!"

Scorpius twisted the cap off, lifting a shoulder up slightly. "And _you _know my mother's rules on sharing... She's packed enough for ten people in here!" Even if the Hogwarts Express offered snacks to buy, his mother insisted on packing enough for a party. Thankfully, she had also thought about the weight of ten butterbeers and other favoured treats among the young people, and had charmed the bag to hardly weigh anything.

"You don't have to follow them to a T at Hogwarts, Scorpius!" Silvia said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not going to rat you out!"

Scorpius made to swallow a mouthful of his fizzy drink so he could reply, but he did it a little too quickly. He felt the burning pain form in his throat as it rejected the assault.

Silvia snorted in laughter and _that _sent him into his own laughter. Sticky, foaming liquid spewed from his nose and sprayed the empty seat across from them.

"Argh!" In extreme pain, enough to cause his eyes to swell with tears, Scorpius held onto his nose, blinking his watery eyes.

Silvia was stuck in a series of giggles, and began hiccuping over it. She pointed at Scorpius, her own eyes tearing up. "_Oh_, the _look_—" She giggled uncontrollably, leaning back into the seat for support, in fear of toppling forward and cracking her head on the table in front of them. "—on your face right now!"

"Merlin, that hurt a lot!" Scorpius sniffed his tender nose, messaging it to gain its normal feeling back. "And _you _didn't help matters any!" He playfully pushed at his friend's shoulder, who was still having difficulties controlling her amusement.

"Sorry!" She took a deep breath, making an effort to relax herself. She covered her mouth, concealing a snort.

The door to the compartment abruptly slid open, revealing two people; a boy and a girl, each Silvia and Scorpius's own age. Scorpius stiffened at the sight of them, while Silvia's sounds of amusement instantly ceased. The four students stared each other down in silence, none of them sure what to say. All that was heard was the dull hum of excited people, who were also aboard the train.

Albus Potter turned his head to look up the narrow walkway of the carriage. He frowned slightly, his bottom lip uneasily tucked between his teeth, and nibbled on a loose piece of skin. "I think there's one—"

He was cut off as Rose Weasley huffed impatiently and stepped inside.

"_Rose_—"

"You wouldn't mind if we were to sit with you, would you?" Rose interrupted her cousin, pointedly looking at Scorpius. Her voice wasn't cold, but it was filled with some sort of expectance of how he was going to react to her request.

Scorpius stirred uncomfortably in his seat. Obviously, he had heard many stories about the Weasleys and Potters (and many other people who fought in the war years ago). They were all over the papers, famous for their heroism. While the Malfoys... were not.

And Scorpius was sure that Albus and Rose's parents would disapprove of their little angels sitting with the child of an ex-Death Eater.

"Sure," Silvia broke the awkward silence. "We don't mind," she answered for both she and Scorpius.

Albus cautiously stepped in. The corners of his lips turned upward just a bit, showing Silvia his gratitude. Rose didn't move though. She wanted an answer from Scorpius specifically.

"Let's just call a truce," Rose said to him.

Scorpius shook his head in confusion. A truce? But they hadn't even—

"I know exactly what you're thinking..." Rose crossed her arms over her chest. "We have no reason to call for a truce, right? We've never even met until this day— why need a truce?"

Scorpius looked away from her piercing look. Why did she look at him like that? Most people stared at him and his family warily, as if expecting that they were going to sneak up on some innocent person and curse them. But not this girl. Not Rose Weasley. He didn't understand what she was trying to say, or what she was trying to prove.

It didn't matter what his father had said to warn him, or the many years Scorpius had grown up in a life of shame that he himself had not deserved; he was not prepared for this.

"I feel we can make our own decisions," Rose said. "And I don't wish to waste my time on hexing you all throughout the next seven years of my life just because of what our parents did when they were our age."

Scorpius shifted his eyes back at her. "I wasn't going to hex—"

Rose nodded. "Precisely. I'd say we've all learned from the mistakes of our mums and dads, right?"

He tilted his head at her, intrigued by the way she just took control of things. Things that hadn't even started. He sucked in a breath. "My father is _never _going to believe this."

Rose finally smiled. A big triumphant one. "I'm sure it's redundant, but I'm Rose Weasley, and this is my cousin, Albus Potter." She properly introduced them.

Scorpius' felt his lips twitch into a smile. A huge weight was suddenly lifted from his shoulders. "Scorpius Malfoy," he said and gestured for her to sit down.

"And, _I'm_ Silvia Zabini," Silvia added, giving Scorpius a dirty look for his impoliteness.

Scorpius chuckled. "Yes, my best friend, Silvia."

"Nice to meet you," Rose and Albus said in unison, with Albus being much more quieter than she.

The dark haired boy sat next to his cousin, patting the seat uncertainly. He rubbed his fingers together and looked at up Silvia, who started snickering. "Why is the seat sticky?" he asked in mild disgust.

Rose stood up immediately and shrieked at the stickiness of her robes.

Scorpius fished his wand out of his shirt quickly. "Sorry!" He cleaned the seat with a spell. "I... had a bit an accident..." He eyed her backside, frowning at the damp droplets of his spittle of butterbeer. "I—" He sighed. Just when he thought things would be different for him, this had to happen... "I don't know how to clean clothing just yet..."

Rose sat back down. "Well, it should be dry by the time we get to Hogwarts," she said stiffly. Scorpius could tell that she was trying to be calm about it.

"I'd say so," Albus agreed with her. "It was just a few droplets, Rose."

"So, which Quidditch team is your favourite?" Rose asked with a much more cheerier voice, as if she had forgotten about the incident all together.

And so they spent a majority of the ride arguing over the best Quidditch teams and players.

*/*

He slid off the tall stool, nearly falling down on his face because of his undependable, shaking knees. Thankfully, he had enough strength to catch his fall.

Most of the room was stunned by his sorting. Only about a quarter of the people were clapping, and it was a slow, dull one, merely for support only. Scorpius looked around nervously, having little success in swallowing a large lump that had formed into his throat. Even a couple of the teachers were in complete shock.

_Malfoys were always sorted into Slytherin._

Scorpius found Rose in the crowd that was still awaiting to be sorted. Her eyes were lit; bright and shining. She put her hands up to her mouth, shouting, "Go on, Scorpius!"

And then the clapping turned into something loud, faster, and roaring. People were cheering. They were praising him. _Accepting _him.

His mother was always telling him that he was going to change the world, but he hadn't believed her. At least not until this moment.

Malfoys had always been sorted into Slytherin— up until now.

_Today was the start of something new._

* * *

_**AN:** _

**This is my LAST entry for the season as a BallyCastle Bat. I want to thank all my new friends and my teammates. We gave it our best shot and I am proud of you all. :)**

**Thank you to the judges, especially the very tough ones. I can't imagine how stressing it must be to do your job, but I also want to say that, even though some of my scores were low, you helped me further my writing. For that, I give you my utmost gratitude. I have come SO far since the beginning of this competition. It's such been a terrific experience!**

**As of right now, I am not sure I want to be a regular player for next season. It took a LOT of time, and it's such a shame to watch people drop out of it (due to lack of interest or real life problems), I feel my team (and many other teams) would have had a better chance if we hadn't had so many reserves. So many judges dropped out too. One person had to judge THREE positions in a round- that's really sad! I feel that it's only proper for a judge to tell the people who took over them when they couldn't. I didn't realize until Round 9 that there was a certain topic you had to go to (and also you had to search the posts in this topic) to find out who actually judged your position. T******here's still two stories that I never received a score on, even after pm'ing the judge... **I hope next Season will have much more order and dependable people. **

**The hosts did as good of a job as they could. They definitely deserve credit, but I feel that we needed a couple more in addition, as sometimes it took days to see a response (one was handling it all by herself for a while). When people see the hosts gone, they will also go away. I am grateful for our hosts work though; they did their best, just like the rest of us who stuck it out.**

**There are more things I'd like to say, but its more about individuals than the actual competition, so it's not necessary.**

**Overall, I loved it. It's just a really long event, and I didn't feel some people took it too seriously (but that's unavoidable, so). I'll probably partake in the next season as a reserve, if I find the time; I'm supposed to be really busy then though.**


End file.
